              
             English Version
            
                    search
                    close

Peru: Health Ministry distributes second batch of COVID-19 vaccines

Photo: ANDINA/Minsa

12:16 | Lima, Feb. 17.

The Ministry of Health (Minsa) on Wednesday morning started distributing the second batch of 700,000 Sinopharm vaccine doses, which arrived on February 13 to complement the first batch consisting of 300,000.

Speaking from the warehouse of the National Center for Supply of Strategic Resources in Health (Cenares) —where the doses are stored under cold chain conditions— Deputy Public Health Minister Percy Minaya explained that the first shipment will include 250,000 doses and that the distribution process throughout the country will be gradual, so it may take up to two days.

"We have started the distribution of 700,000 doses. We had to take a necessary pause to verify the systems. 250,000 vaccine doses will be distributed as part of this first shipment, which will be prioritized for healthcare workers at Minsa, the Social Health Insurance System (EsSalud), regional governments, and the private health system," he said.

Minaya underlined that each vaccine is destined for a particular person, adding that a hotline (0800) will be launched to report problems and complaints related to the vaccines during this first phase of vaccination for healthcare workers.

"We receive the lists from different institutions and proceed to the distribution because we trust the information we get," the government official explained.

"There may have been problems when the personnel were transferred to different units, that could have caused a delay, but they will be vaccinated anyway. I ask them not to despair," he added.

The deputy minister disclosed that adjustments are being made to meet the great challenge of receiving around 2 million vaccine doses soon.

"We need to meet the capacity requirements for their storage, as well as to distribute and inoculate them immediately," the official pointed out.

Esta mañana, el Minsa inició la distribución del segundo lote de 700 000 vacunas contra la COVID-19 en Lima, Callao y regiones, para continuar con la inmunización de todo el personal de salud que lucha en primera línea contra la pandemia. #PongoElHombro ???? pic.twitter.com/RBbJzM6nr9
— Ministerio de Salud (@Minsa_Peru) February 17, 2021