The first batch of Chinese-donated COVID-19 vaccine doses is unloaded from a plane at Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe on Feb 15, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)

Zimbabwe has authorized the emergency use of four COVID-19 vaccines, including China's Sinovac and Sinopharm, Russia's Sputnik V and India's Covaxin, Zimbabwean Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said in a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday.

The southern African country last month rolled out its COVID-19 vaccination program after receiving a donation of 200,000 doses of shots from China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm).

The minister said private businesses wishing to import their own vaccines for employees should purchase only registered vaccines.

Zimbabwe said it plans to vaccinate more than 9 million people and is waiting for delivery of 600,000 Sinopharm doses that it purchased from China.

More than 35,000 people have been vaccinated in Zimbabwe, where 36,321 coronavirus infections and 1,489 deaths have been recorded in its population of about 15 million.