AKP Phnom Penh, February 07, 2021 --

The first batch (600,000) of the one million doses of China-donated vaccine arrived at Phnom Penh International Airport this afternoon.

The handover ceremony of donation of SARS-CoV-2 (Sinopharm) from China to Cambodia to combat COVID-19 pandemic was presided over by Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Wang Wentian.

Some 300,000 doses of the first batch are for the Ministry of Health and the rest 300,000 doses for the Ministry of National Defence.

H.E. Ambassador Wang Wentian said on Feb. 3 that the joint fight against COVID-19 between China and Cambodia is a model for international cooperation in combating the pandemic.

He expressed his belief that the vaccination will play a positive role in restoring Cambodia's socio-economic development.

A team of Chinese vaccine specialists on Wednesday last week provided training to some 300 Cambodian medical staff on how to use the anti-COVID-19 vaccine.

On Feb. 4, the Cambodian Ministry of Health issued an Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for China-made Sinopharm vaccine, manufactured by Beijing Institute of Biological Product Co., Ltd. of the People's Republic of China, in accordance with the protocol on the Royal Government's vaccination campaign.

The ministry has recently confirmed that Sinopharm can be administered only to people between the age of 18 and 59 years old.

(Photo: Khem Sovannara) 

By Heng Panha