Guyana has moved to purchase 200,000 does of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine and an initial tranche of 50,000 is expected within a two-week period as logistics are currently being worked out.
The announcement was made by Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Friday and came almost one week after President Irfaan Ali revealed that discussions were ongoing with Russia for the supply of 300,000 doses of the vaccine.
During Friday’s COVID-19 update, Anthony reiterated that the government has been engaging with Russia to acquire the vaccines directly. “We have been engaging the Russian institutions pertaining to the Sputnik vaccine and we are working to get some Sputnik vaccines directly from them,” he said.
He mentioned a purchase order for approximately 200,000 doses of the vaccine from which authorities are expecting to have the first 50,000 of those doses in Guyana within a two-week period.
President Irfaan Ali had previously announced that Guyana would be receiving 5,000 doses of the Sputnik vaccine last week. Anthony mentioned logistics to have the vaccines come from Moscow to Guyana were being worked out.
Meanwhile, as it relates to the procurement of vaccines to fulfil the government’s hope to have all Guyanese inoculated by the end of 2021, Anthony said that the Ministry of Health should be receiving information soon from COVAX as it relates to the 100,800 AstraZeneca vaccines that were promised to the country.
He said, “We should get some information maybe some time today or maybe early next week about when those doses are going to be coming, how many would come in and as soon as we get that information we will share it with the public.”
