Burundi, in reversal, says it will accept COVID-19 vaccines

29/7/2021 18:52

        Burundi's government now says it will accept COVID-19 vaccines, becoming one of the last countries in the world to embrace them. But the health ministry says it will not take responsibility for any side effects they might cause.
        
        Health Minister Thaddee Ndikumana on Wednesday said the vaccines will arrive with the support of the World Bank. It was not immediately clear how many doses the East African country will receive or when.
        
        "The vaccine will be given to those who need it," the health minister said. The government will store the doses but will not take responsibility for any side effects, he added.
        
        Burundi's announcement came the same day that neighboring Tanzania launched its vaccination campaign, retreating from former President John Magufuli's denial of the pandemic. He died in March and the presidency went to his deputy Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has since reversed course on COVID-19 in one of Africa's most populous countries.