Morocco’s vaccine procurement cost rises to 7 billion dirhams

The cost of Morocco’s vaccine procurement rose to 7 billion dirhams ($77 million), finance ministry documents showed.

The amount was funded by the special solidarity fund to which the treasury, companies and citizens amassed contributions that stood at 34 billion dirhams since 2020.

Morocco has offered booster jabs for people who took the vaccine six months ago and made a vaccine pass mandatory for access to public places and travel.

So far, 24 million people received a first dose and 21.7 million are fully vaccinated with two doses while 1.14 million people received a third jab.

So far, 64% of Moroccans are vaccinated and in a few weeks the country will reach a collective immunity level of 80%, according to health minister Khaled Ait Taleb.

Morocco opted for Sinopharm, AstraZeneca and Pfizer in addition to Johnson and Johnson.

It expects to produce 5 million doses daily after the local Sothema company signed a deal in that respect with China’s Sinopharm.