Issue of obtaining vaccine against COVID-19 will be most difficult for Stepanov - Zelensky
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he set a task for Minister of Health Maksym Stepanov to receive the vaccine against COVID-19 in Ukraine at the end of January-February next year.
"I gave him a task: we should receive the vaccine at the end of January, or at least in February," Zelensky said in an interview with Focus magazine, published on the ezine's website on Friday.
However, he explained that this is not only about a free vaccine within the framework of the COVAX initiative.
Zelensky believes vaccination will be the most difficult challenge for Minister Stepanov. "It's because we are not included in the list of priority countries that will receive the vaccine in the near future. And he should prove in this situation whether he is a minister or not a minister. Since if your country is not included in the list of those who will be given the vaccine anyway, that everything will be normal, there will be large copayments to doctors, then you must do everything to be included in this list. This is a test," he said.
The President of Ukraine also stressed the importance of the head of the Ministry of Health and the Prime Minister "working more closely together, as a common team."
When asked how he assesses Stepanov's work as head of the Ministry of Health, Zelensky said: "It is very difficult for me to assess. He is the strongest of all who have been. That's for sure. He is trying."