Sadc ministers to meet over vaccine choice

Maputo, (New Ziana) – Southern African Development Community (Sadc) health ministers will meet shortly to agree regionwide Covid-19 vaccine guidelines and types to adopt for treatment, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Monday.

Like the rest of the world, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the Sadc region hard, with infections running into hundreds of thousands.

At least two Covid-19 vaccines – one in the United States and another one in Russia have been approved for use by their countries and others beyond.

President Mnangagwa, who was in Mozambique, attending a regional security meeting, said Sadc had agreed to take a coordinated approach to tackling Covid-19.

“We discussed about Covid-19, the impact of Covid-19 in the region and the current expectation of the vaccine,” President Mnangagwa said.

“We felt it was necessary as Sadc to have a coordinated approach on the issue of what vaccine to accept so we have resolved that our ministers of health, as Sadc must meet and make recommendations to our summit which is coming in two months or so.”

The Sadc Troika is currently chaired by Botswana, and has South Africa and Zimbabwe as members.

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa said the meeting had also briefly discussed about a proposed joint railway programme by Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

The over 1 700-kilometre railway line extending across the three countries, is expected to facilitate trade among them.
New Ziana