Venezuela will receive 15 million doses of Cuban Abdala for vaccination against the coronavirus, announces Maduro

Venezuela will receive at least 15 million doses of the Cuban Abdala to incorporate them into the vaccination plan against coronavirus COVID-19said the president on Sunday Nicolas Maduro, amid criticism from doctors about its use.

Mature He added that 900,000 doses of the vaccine arrived early Sunday Abdala on a Conviasa airline flight, without specifying the total amount that the South American country has received to date. In June the first batch arrived as part of a trial.

“Now the Abdala comes to Venezuela to join this effort in search of 70% of vaccinated and vaccinated ”, added Mature in a transmission on the state television channel, in which he thanked Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel for the shipment, without clarifying whether the vaccines were purchased or donated.

The National Academy of Medicine of Venezuela on Monday expressed its concern about the use of Abdala, assuring that it is a product for which scientific information on its safety and efficacy is unknown.

Cuba has developed three vaccines against coronavirus that are awaiting recognition from the World Health Organization (WHO), after an evaluation, according to the authorities of the Caribbean island.

Most of the vaccines used in the OPEC nation have been the Russian Sputnik V, and the Chinese Sinopharm. The country recently received the Chinese Sinovac through the COVAX mechanism.

The Venezuelan government is also evaluating the purchase of a drug from China for the vaccination of children from 2 years of age, after announcing that the country would start classes at all levels the last week of October.

Maduro said Sunday that about 50% of the population has been vaccinated, without detailing whether the figure includes doses. According to data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Venezuela has completed vaccination of 20.8% of the population.

In Venezuela, cases of infection continue to increase and until Sunday the authorities reported a total of 373,332 infections and 4,510 deaths. Guilds and academies point out that the figure is higher.

______________________________