Togo receives China-donated Sinovac vaccines

Staff members unload a batch of Sinovac vaccine donnated by China at the Gnassingbe Eyadema International Airport in Lome, Togo, April 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Koffi)

LOME -- The government of Togo received a batch of Sinovac vaccine donnated by China on Friday in support to its fight against COVID-19 as part of the cooperation between the two countries.

Chinese ambassador to Togo Chao Weidong and the Togolese Minister of Health Mustafa Mijiyawa received the vaccines at the Gnassingbe Eyadema International Airport about midday on Friday.

Chinese ambassador to Togo Chao Weidong (R) and Togolese national coordinator for COVID-19 response Djibril Mohaman talk in front of a batch of Sinovac vaccine donnated by China at the Gnassingbe Eyadema International Airport in Lome, Togo, April 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Koffi)

"The donation of the vaccines is a perfect proof of the excellent quality of the relations between our two countries and the depth of the friendship between our two peoples", Chao said.

"It is also an illustration of the sense of common destiny to the humankind", he said, underscoring that the donation is in line with the decisions of the Chinese government to make the Chinese vaccine a worldwide public good.

Mijiyawa said it is "a very effective vaccine, with minimal side effects and the benefit-risk ratio is clearly in favour of the benefit".

"Very shortly, we will administer these vaccines to our people", he said, recalling that his country began immunization operations against COVID-19 on March 10.

So far, Togo has reported 12,698 COVID-19 confirmed cases with a death toll of 121 since it recorded its first COVID-19 positive case on March 6, 2020.