The Romanian Government approved in its February 23 meeting the donation of 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria and Libya, the Health Ministry announced. The assistance is aimed at helping the four countries in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"At the request of the Ministry of Health, the Government of Romania approved in today's meeting, February 23, 2022, the draft Government Decision on granting humanitarian aid from the Health Ministry's reserve, free of charge, to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria and Libya […] The document provides for the donation of 1,100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, out of those purchased by the Ministry of Health through the Framework Agreements concluded with the European Commission," reads the ministry's statement.

Romania will donate 500,000 COVID vaccine doses to Pakistan, 200,000 to Bangladesh, 200,000 to Algeria, and 200,000 to Libya.

Earlier this month, Valeriu Gheorghita, the coordinator of Romania's COVID-19 vaccination campaign, said that nearly one million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine would be destroyed, as they are set to expire. According to him, the country received almost 4.5 million doses of the vaccine produced by AstraZeneca.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Dreamstime.com)