Peru’s health minister resigns amid vaccine row

Pilar Mazzetti steps down over news of former president getting COVID-19 jab before it reached country

By Sinan Dogan

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Peru’s Health Minister Pilar Mazzetti stepped down from her post after it was revealed that the former president received the COVID-19 vaccine before it became widely available in the country, according to local media on Saturday.

Following the news that Martin Vizcarra got the vaccine shot in October 2020, months ago the vaccine reached Peru, Mazzetti was criticized by Congress and she submitted her resignation to President Francisco Sagasti Friday night.

Speaking on the issue, Sagasti thanked Mazzetti for her fight against the pandemic and said she was treated unjustly.

Last week, the first batch of vaccines, containing 300,000 doses, produced by China’s Sinopharm arrived in Lima, Peru.

Peru has so far reported over 1.2 million infections and more than 43,400 deaths.

* Writing by Sena Guler in Ankara.

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