Nicaraguan Government announces steps to purchase vaccines

"Now we cannot choose a vaccine," says expert 6:17

(CNN Spanish) -

The Nicaraguan Ministry of Health is negotiating with international pharmaceutical companies through the Covax initiative to obtain vaccines against covid-19 aimed at immunizing more than 3.7 million people.

The announcement was made this Wednesday by the vice president and government spokesperson, Rosario Murillo, in her call to official media.

«We would be able to protect 3,731,900;

that is, at first 55% of the population, but we want to reach the total population, "said Murillo.

The vice president and first lady reported that they are taking new steps through the Ministry of Finance to complete the financing and vaccinate the rest of the population.

Murillo assured that the country could receive more than 7.4 million doses.

However, she did not specify when they could arrive in the country, according to her so as not to cause disappointment in the face of possible delays.

• READ: Millions of people in the world have a real fear of needles.

  Overcoming that is essential for vaccination against covid-19

Hours earlier, the deputy director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Jarbas Barbosa, said in a briefing from Washington that Nicaragua would obtain the first vaccines against covid-19 in March 2021.

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“Because it is part of Covax, Nicaragua is together with other countries on that schedule for delivery in March and that is the difference at Covax, so that everyone can have access.

When the vaccine is available, there will not be a difference for one country or another;

It is going to be distributed equitably, ”said Barbosa.

Covax is an alliance of more than 100 countries coordinated by the World Health Organization to ensure the supply of vaccines regardless of the economic capacity of the nations.

What vaccines will Nicaragua apply?

The vice president of Nicaragua reported that they are proposing the purchase of Russia's Sputnik V vaccines for 1.9 million people, Moderna's vaccine for 750,000 people and the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine for about 1.9 million people, at a cost total of US $ 90 million.

These options, according to Murillo, in addition to their effectiveness are compatible with the cold chain installed in the country's health units.

Murillo added that equipping the cold chain requires an investment of US $ 850,000.

This Monday, 33 independent medical associations in Nicaragua had asked the government to announce concrete actions against the covid-19 pandemic.

Especially with regard to the purchase of vaccines and a program for their application throughout the country, administering it to health workers, people over 60 years of age and chronically ill.

The Ministry of Health reported 6,152 cases of covid-19 and 167 deaths due to complications associated with the disease until January 12.

However, the report by the independent Covid-19 Citizen Observatory reported that as of January 6, there were 12,114 suspected or probable cases by clinic and 2,890 deaths from pneumonia or covid-19.

Coronavirus Vaccine