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The West African state of Guinea said it had started administering coronavirus vaccines on Wednesday using a small number of doses of Russia’s Sputnik V, a formula that has generated controversy.
The National Agency for Health Security (ANSS) said it had obtained 60 doses of the vaccine, which would be administered to middle-aged volunteers on a trial basis.
Defense Minister Mohamed Diane, a scientist by training, was the first to receive the vaccine, he said.
After the pilot phase, the country will evaluate whether to extend the vaccines or not, said the agency’s communications officer, Sory II Keira.
Diane posted a photo on Facebook showing him wearing a mask and receiving the jab, with the text “Leading by example.”
“As a geneticist, I have full confidence in the progress of research and science. We will defeat the pandemic, all together! “he added.
Moscow announced the registration of Sputnik V in August, after having completed only the second phase of testing with fewer than 100 volunteers, raising concerns from domestic and foreign scientists.
He started the injections on December 5, starting with workers at risk.
Some analysts have seen the accelerated registration and early launch of mass vaccination as a Russian gamble to bolster geopolitical influence.
Russia’s neighbors Belarus and Argentina have also said they have started using the vaccine.
Guinea, an impoverished country that battled a deadly Ebola epidemic between 2013 and 2016, has recorded more than 13,000 coronavirus cases.
Of these, 80 have been fatal, including several prominent politicians.
