Covid-19: launch of the vaccination campaign in Senegal
Minister of Health Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr receiving the anti-Covid vaccine, February 23, 2021. REUTERS - ZOHRA BENSEMRA
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3 min
In Senegal, the anti-Covid-19 vaccination campaign was officially launched on Tuesday.
A launch in front of the press because the stake is to gain the confidence of the Senegalese.
In front of the journalists, about twenty personalities received the first doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine.
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With our correspondent in Dakar,
Théa Ollivier
It was under a scorching sun and in front of the press that the Minister of Health and Social Action, Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, received the first dose of vaccine from
Senegal
.
It was a dose of Chinese Sinopharm.
He was the first to set an example and reassure the reliability of the vaccine while part of the population is still reluctant to be vaccinated.
Then, other political, religious and civil society figures followed one another, such as Foreign Minister Aïssata Tall Sall, former Prime Minister Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye as well as Professor Moussa Seydi, known to be at the forefront of the response against
Covid-19.
The Minister of Health described this day as "
historic
" while Senegal is one of the few African countries to have launched their vaccination operation.
A start thanks to the acquisition of vaccines via
a national strategy specific to Senegal
which has decided not to wait for the vaccine from the Covax initiative, which should arrive around March, according to the minister.
As part of this, the country bought 200,000 doses of Sinopharm.
A fairly small amount, but discussions are being finalized with Russia, reassures the ministry.
The objective is therefore to vaccinate all Senegalese over 60 years of age with co-morbidities or chronic diseases, as well as health personnel.
Operations will begin tomorrow in the vaccination centers while the doses have been sent throughout the country in recent days.
► To (re) listen: Guest Africa - Macky Sall: "Africa expects from its traditional partners that vaccines be shared"
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Senegal
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