South Africa receives first batch of COVID-19 vaccines

The South African government, on Monday, received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines.

NAN reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and deputy president David Mabuza, who chairs the inter-ministerial committee on vaccines, were at the airport to receive one million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

South Africa has been the nation worst affected by the virus with almost 1.5 million cases and more than 44,000 deaths.

The government also secured 12 million doses under the Covax agreement, co-led by the World Health Organisation and GAVI, and 12.25 million doses via the African Union-led African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (Avatt).

Recall that South African Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu, recently died from COVID-19 related complications,

President Cyril Ramaphosa who confirmed his death on Thursday said the late Minister was an exemplary leader, an activist and a life-long champion of freedom and democracy.