Lebanon to vaccinate against COVID-19 with Pfizer vaccine

Lebanon has reserved 2 million doses of the COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the health minister confirmed. This amount covers approximately 20% of the Lebanese population. They have announced that negotiations have been underway with the company to purchase the vaccines and they are expected to be in Lebanon in February and the agreement is expected to be signed today.

Lebanon is in a situation of historical economic crisis and has caused the government to become indebted with a shortage of cash and foreign currency. Because the major reforms demanded by foreign donors and supporters have not materialised, they have been unwilling to finance the government's deficit.

The legislator who heads the parliamentary health committee, Assem Araji, states that the agreement is being negotiated and that the price takes into account the country's economic problems, this being $18 per dose. The 27 million dollar agreement would ensure 1.5 billion vaccines while the country negotiates the possibility of receiving about 2 million.

Araji told The Associated Press that the government will pay a deposit of $4 million at the time of signing, which will take place on Monday. And it hopes to cover the rest with a World Bank loan that has been granted to cover expenses related to the pandemic.

It has also signed up to receive 1.5 billion dollars in vaccines from the COVAX partnership. This is led by the World Health Organisation and with humanitarian organisations whose aim is to provide vaccines for up to 20% of the population in poor countries affected by the pandemic.

Lebanon has deposited $4.3 million to secure COVAX vaccines, Araji said. Both vaccines will be offered free of charge in Lebanon and commercially, hospitals and pharmacies can provide their own vaccines, Araji said.

In addition to Lebanon's 6 million people, the country has more than 1 million Syrian refugees. Araji confirmed that UN agencies will cover the refugee population.

The country has reported more than 170,000 cases and more than 1,300 deaths with an increase in cases in recent weeks. Lebanon's health sector is also under pressure in the midst of the economic crisis and following this summer's massive explosion in Beirut, which temporarily put several hospitals out of action.