Naharnet

After Uproar, President’s Health Adviser Says Aoun Had to Get Vaccinated

Adviser to the President for Health Affairs Walid Khoury stated on Wednesday that due to the President’s “exposure to a large number of people,” that makes it necessary for him to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

Khoury’s remarks came after an uproar over favoritism that the President and other MPs were inoculated without prior approval.

Khoury said: “From a medical point of view, President Aoun is vulnerable because he meets many people every day and for this reason it was necessary for him to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.”

The Presidency on Tuesday confirmed that Aoun, First Lady Nadia Aoun and ten of the president’s close associates have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Sixteen other MPs were accused of bypassing the country’s official inoculation platform that is aimed at ensuring a fair rollout of the vaccine.

The World Bank threatened Tuesday to suspend financing for coronavirus vaccines in Lebanon as it investigated suspected favoritism.

The World Bank is a major financier of Lebanon’s coronavirus campaign and has approved $34 million to pay for vaccines for 2 million people. Suspending its assistance would have grave implications for the cash-strapped government, which is going through an unprecedented financial and economic crisis and reliant on foreign assistance.

Source: Naharnet


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