MANAMA -- A shipment of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine purchased by Bahrain arrived here on Friday.

Chinese Ambassador to Bahrain An Wa'er and Bahrain's Minister of Health Faeqa bint Saeed Al-Saleh attended the vaccine handover ceremony at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Center.

The ambassador said that since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Bahrain have been helping each other to fight the pandemic.

He said that China is ready to further strengthen cooperation with Bahrain on fighting the pandemic, provide assistance for Bahrain to advance its vaccination program, and jointly safeguard global public health and safety.

The Bahraini minister expressed her gratitude to China for its continuous support and coordination with Bahrain in fighting against the COVID-19.

She said this batch of Chinese vaccines is of great significance to the country's vaccination plan. It reflects the strength of relations and cooperation between the two friendly countries.

The latest figures showed that a total of 312,104 individuals have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines in the kingdom, while 208,325 have got the second jab.