Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine Igor Ivashchenko said that Kiev has agreed on the supply of vaccine against coronavirus with Pfizer / BioNTech, RIA Novosti reports.
According to him, the first batch of the American drug in the amount of 117 thousand doses will enter the country under the COVAX mechanism no later than two weeks later. The official explained that the logistics costs were borne by international organizations due to the lack of funds in the Ukrainian budget, and the issue of storing the vaccine at ultra-low temperatures will be solved with the involvement of private firms.
Ivaschenko added that Kiev is currently considering other international mechanisms for obtaining the drug. “First of all, the Ministry of Health turned to the G7 countries and the European Union with a request to consider Ukraine as a potential priority candidate for vaccines,” Ivaschenko said.
The coronavirus vaccination campaign in Ukraine will begin in February 2021, previously announced by President Vladimir Zelensky. At the same time, the country's Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said that the Russian vaccine against the Sputnik V coronavirus would never be registered in the republic, despite the high incidence rates.
According to the latest data, since the beginning of the pandemic in Ukraine, 1 219 455 people have become infected with the coronavirus, 22 707 patients have become victims of the infection, and 1 018 784 cases have been cured.
