Cambodia expected to have at least 4.2 million doses of vaccines against COVID-19 by the first semester of this year, said Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen at a press conference here this morning.

“If nothing changes, we will have some 4.2 million doses of vaccines for more than 2 million people in the first half of this year,” he underlined.

According to the Premier, Cambodia has currently two vaccines against COVID-19 in stock – China-donated Sinopharm (600,000 doses) and AstraZeneca/SII (324,000 doses) donated by WHO via COVAX Facility.

Another 400,000 doses of Sinopharm as part of China’s pledge of 1 million doses for Cambodia will arrive in Phnom Penh around April, he said.

COVAX will provide vaccine for 20 percent of the total Cambodian population of 16 million people, which is equivalent to 3.2 million people or 6.4 million doses of vaccine, he added.

Moreover, Samdech Techo Hun Sen welcomed India’s plan to provide Cambodia with 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, stressing that Cambodia requested to buy 1 million more doses from India and another 1 million doses of Sinopharm from China.

At the same time, Samdech Techo Hun Sen said Cambodia is considering the possibility to buy vaccines from Russia, the U.S., and so on.

Newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine of the U.S. can be also a choice for Cambodia as only a dose is required, while others need two doses, he said.

Cambodia started the vaccination programme against COVID-19 on Feb. 10, three days after receiving the first batch of Sinopharm vaccine. Up to Mar. 3 evening, 125,668 people, both civil and armed forces, across the country have been inoculated.