Caretaker Minister of Public Health, Dr. Hamad Hasan, on Wednesday told the Voice of Lebanon Radio station that Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health was currently suspending the usage of the AstraZeneca vaccine pending the decision of the international health authorities.
“The ministry does not take any hasty decisions that might endanger the citizens’ health,“ Dr. Hasan affirmed.
He went on to explain that the first shipment of AstraZeneca vaccine was supposed to arrive to Lebanon in mid-March, yet the company had postponed the delivery date, “which rules out any commercial intentions involving the vaccine.”
Dr. Hasan added that the private sector sought to secure the Russian and Chinese vaccines for private initiatives, and that the ministry had not prevented, but rather encouraged private sector companies to do so.
“The Ministry of Health has given permission to more than thirty pharmaceutical companies and drug warehouses to negotiate with vaccine companies abroad provided that the vaccine is provided to citizens free of charge,” he added, stressing that free vaccination for citizens is a nonnegotiable decision.
He finally added that next week, the state’s vaccination campaign will begin to target age groups that range between sixty-five and seventy-five years, as well as those suffering from chronic diseases.
Source: Al-Manar English Website