As part of its planned donation of 500,000 doses of the World Health Organization approved Astrazeneca vaccine to CARICOM countries, India is set to send 80,000 doses of the vaccine to Guyana next week.

Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony made the disclosure today during his COVID-19 update.

Barbados and Dominica were the first two CARICOM states to receive the vaccines from India. Barbados shared some of its vaccines with Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago to cover the vaccination of frontline health workers.

The Health Minister also indicated today that Guyana is still set to receive vaccines under the UN’s COVAX initiative to cover up to 20,000 of the population.

Additionally, the Government is in direct talks with other countries to make vaccine purchases.

During its inter-sessional meeting which concluded yesterday, CARICOM expressed its disappointment with the move by many developed nations to buy up and hoard the vaccines, leaving smaller states out in the cold.

The United States has also chided some developed countries over the large number of vaccine purchases.

Related posts:

Guyana to receive 100,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine next week Only 2nd dose shots of AstraZeneca vaccine available -Health Minister Health Minister assures Sputnik 2nd doses will be available before end of 12-week timeline Health Ministry runs out of 2nd doses of Sputnik vaccine; First doses of AstraZeneca and Sinopharm also not available