STILL NOT HERE, AND WHEN IT WILL ARRIVE, MCP DOESN'T KNOW EITHER Last information on vaccines from January 30

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – The announced deadline for the first vaccines that were supposed to arrive in BiH via the Covax mechanism has passed, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, headed by Ankica Gudeljević (HDZ BiH), referred us today to the information from January 30, 2021.  

That information states: 

„The number of doses of vaccines produced by Biontech-Pfizer that will start arriving in BiH in mid-February is 23,400 doses, while the number of doses of AstraZeneca/SKBIO vaccines that will start arriving in BiH at the end of February ranges from 153,600 to 259,200 doses,“ it is stated. 

To our additional question addressed to the MCP of BiH that mid-February has passed and whether they have other information on when the vaccines could arrive, they responded that the information from January 30 is the last one they have. 

BiH has ordered a total of 1,232,000 vaccines, which it has already paid for, unlike other countries that provided bank guarantees. Given that our country is exclusively dependent on the Covax mechanism, and aware of this in the European Union, it has reportedly been stated that BiH will have priority in the distribution of vaccines from Covax. 

In BiH, 2,000 Russian Sputnik V vaccines have arrived so far, ordered by the Ministry of Health of the RS, and immunization of healthcare workers has already begun. They expect another 200,000 doses soon, which is enough for 100,000 people. 

The Sarajevo Canton is in the process of procuring AstraZeneca vaccines, and funds have been secured, but due to the complex system and dysfunction of higher levels of government, as stated by the Minister of Health of the Sarajevo Canton, Haris Vranić, the vaccine procurement process is still ongoing.