The vaccines will arrive from Cuba between now and the end of the year.
The move comes after a phone call between Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on August 23. The two leaders spoke of the important relationship between the two countries, stressing past assistance for one another. It is not currently clear which vaccine the doses will be, though Cuba is among a handful of countries currently capable to producing their own COVID-19 vaccine.
Moreover, early last month, Cuba announced plans to transfer vaccine production technology and knowledge to Vietnam. It would allow local facilities to produce Cuba's Abdala vaccine. While the Abdala vaccine has passed all three phases of human trials in Cuba, it has yet to undergo trials in any other country and was only authorized for emergency use in Cuba in July.
Earlier this summer Vietnam donated 5,000 tons of rice to Cuba.
Meanwhile, the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology sent an urgent request for expedited clearance and delivery of 31 million Pfizer doses that will arrive later this year.
[Photo via The National News]
