Madagascar receives first Covid-19 vaccines – MENAFN.COM

Madagascar receives first Covid-19 vaccines – MENAFN.COM

(MENAFN - Gulf Times) Madagascar yesterday received its first batch of coronavirus vaccines through the Covax global sharing scheme, one of the last countries in Africa to obtain the prised jabs following months of resistance by the president. While countries across the globe scrambled to secure doses of the precious shots, Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina showed little interest in inoculation and instead continued to promote a locally brewed herbal drink as the only required coronavirus ''cure". But an unprecedented infection resurge last month forced Rajoelina to bow to growing criticism of his handling of the pandemic and agree to a vaccine rollout. A first shipment of 250, 000 Oxford/AstraZeneca jabs landed on the Indian Ocean island nation yesterday. The plane was met by a delegation of government officials and United Nations representatives — although Rajoelina himself did not attend the ceremony. Health Minister Jean Louis Hanitrala Rakotovao said vaccines would be distributed across the country in two phases, without providing further detail. ''The inoculation is among several efficient preventative measures that will be added to strategies already implemented by the state," he added. Madagascar's coronavirus response has so far revolved around an infusion based on the anti-malarial plant artemisia and