SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iraq’s health ministry said on Monday it had agreed with Pfizer to import 1.5 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, the state news agency (INA) reported on Monday.
Spokesman of Iraqi Health Ministry Saif al-Badr said the vaccine, made by Pfizer and BioNTech, would arrive in Iraq early next year, the state news agency said.
“The agreement does not end Iraq’s obligations with COVAX,” INA quoted Badr as saying.
COVAX is a U.N. program designed to ensure equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccines around the world.
The World Health Organization said in October that Iraq was among the countries that is participating in COVAX.
“The country has committed $170 million towards this effort, and it is among the first countries to benefit from the vaccine,” the WHO said on Twitter.
The Health ministry said in October that the government would prioritize healthcare workers, members of security forces and other high-risk groups to receive the vaccine.
BioNTech began developing the vaccine in January, using a technology called synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) that had yet to produce an approved product.
The technology uses a chemical messenger to instruct cells to make proteins that mimic part of the new coronavirus, which the immune system learns to recognize as an invader. BioNTech struck a development deal with Pfizer in March.
The vaccine comes with complex distribution challenges as it must be shipped and stored at -70 Celsius (-94 F), requiring specialized ultra-cold freezers or supplies of dry ice.
Pfizer has developed a special shipping container that will be filled with dry ice to keep the vaccine from spoiling.
