31st December, 2020
Algeria has signed a contract for the supply of Russia’s Sputnik ‘V’ vaccine against the COVID-19, government spokesman Ammar Belhimer said.
“Algeria’s health minister has confirmed that a contract was signed… for the purchase of a vaccine against coronavirus with a Russian laboratory.
“Algeria’s Pasteur Institute held a series of talks with the Russian company that produces the Sputnik V vaccine, negotiations are continuing with other parties,” Belhimer said.
On Dec. 20, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune instructed the government to decide which coronavirus vaccine from those available on the market would be used in the country in order to start vaccination of the population as early as January 2021.
Earlier in December, Algerian Health Minister Abderrahmane Benbouzid said the final decision on the choice of vaccine had not yet been made, but vaccination would be free for all population groups anyway.
According to him, the choice in favour of this or that drug will be made on the basis of data to be provided by a special committee on science after analysing the world’s advanced developments in the area.
The overall number of coronavirus cases in Algeria had exceeded 99,000, including about 67,000 recoveries and 2,751 deaths, the health ministry said.
Sputnik/NAN