Two months ago, the Kingdom played the pioneers by announcing injections even before Christmas. Since ? Nothing…
Phew! A Royal Air Maroc plane landed yesterday Friday January 22, 2021 in Casablanca, after an express return trip to India to load two million doses of the British vaccine AstraZeneca, manufactured on site under license. The vaccination campaign will be able to start, probably as early as next week, and remove a hell of a thorn from the side of the authorities.
Because the government bordered on ridicule, after announcing with great fanfare, on November 9, 2020, a massive campaign targeting 25 million people (80% of the population). How? ‘Or’ What ? Thanks to its participation in the clinical trials of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, Morocco would inevitably be served in the first. The starting signal was even scheduled for December 15. Since ? Nothing ! Until yesterday’s landing.
It was not the erratic – even silent – communication from the Ministry of Health that helped the unbelieving and fatalistic Moroccans see it clearly. Everyone went about their rumors on social networks, while the TV channels multiplied the reports on the escort exercises for future vaccines or on the 3,000 brand new vaccination centers with desperately empty freezers …
The only certainty is that Morocco has acquired 65 million doses from the Chinese Sinopharm and the British AstraZeneca (25 million, made in India). So where is the problem ? There is a demand for ten billion doses worldwide, but the production capacities are well below. Some rich countries are upbeat, defended Prime Minister Saad-Eddine el-Othmani, heckled in Parliament.
