First batch of Chinese vaccine due to arrive this Sunday

First batch of Chinese vaccine due to arrive this Sunday

Prime Minister Hun Sen confirmed today that 600,000 doses of Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine, the first batch of one million doses promised to Cambodia by China, will arrive in Cambodia this Sunday.

The confirmation, which was made by the premier in a voice message posted on his Facebook page this morning, came just after the yesterday’s announcement made by the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentia that the vaccine will be delivered to Cambodia this weekend.

“I have received the news from [Health Minister] Mam Bunheng, and as I have announced recently, I will personally go to receive the vaccines.

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Hun Sen said he would be the first to take the Sinopharm vaccine upon delivery, a move to infuse confidence and trust in Cambodians that the vaccines are safe. According to an inside source, he will receive his first shot of Sinopharm vaccine on Wednesday next week (February 10)

According to the Premier, the vaccine will be free and offered on a voluntary basis, but in the future, the country will need more vaccines to inoculate between 10 and 13 million people or about 80 percent of the population.

Also, during his speech on Monday, Mr Hun Sen confirmed that military doctors and health workers have been trained and thus ready to be assigned for the vaccine duty.