Coronavirus: Morocco prepares to launch COVID-19 vaccination programme
January 26, 2021, 12:01 pm

Coronavirus: Morocco prepares to launch COVID-19 vaccination programme

Vials with a sticker reading, COVID-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed AstraZeneca logo in this illustration taken October 31, 2020. (Reuters)

Morocco’s health ministry has started distributing COVID-19 vaccines across the country as it prepares to become the first African state to roll out a mass immunization program this week.

Appointments have been made for health workers and citizens are registering online to receive the vaccine in 3,000 locations, said Ben Azouz Mohammed, head of the ministry’s vaccination program.

Morocco on Friday received 2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by India’s Serum Institute and it expects to get 500,000 doses of vaccine from China’s Sinopharm on Wednesday.

The virus has hit Morocco hard, shrinking the economy by 7.2 percent last year according to the International Monetary Fund, with unemployment surging to almost 15 percent as nearly three quarters of a million jobs were lost.

Friday’s vaccine delivery followed weeks of delays, with Moroccan officials repeatedly promising the imminent start of the roll-out from December.

Rabat has placed orders for 66 million doses, with 25 million from AstraZeneca and the rest from Sinopharm as it targets the vaccination of 25 million people - four fifths of its population - over three months.

However, with increasing global competition for vaccine doses, Morocco’s ability to roll out a widescale national program depends on a steady flow of supply, Mohammed said.

Morocco has chosen to focus on the conventional vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Sinopharm which do not require ultra-cold storage but do need two doses.

The country signed a deal with Sinopharm in August which involved conducting clinical trials in Morocco as well as announcing plans to set up a production plant. It agreed a deal in September to buy AstraZeneca vaccine doses.

Unlike many other developing countries, Morocco negotiated supply directly with manufacturers instead of going through mediators or via the World Health Organization, a health ministry source said, a decision that speeded up access to the vaccine.

source: Reuters

Image source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”