Harare — THE World Health Organisation has donated a consignment of swine flu vaccines that are expected to arrive in the country next month.

In an interview yesterday, WHO Representative Dr Custodia Mandlhate said the UN agency and the Government were finalising the plan to get the vaccines into the country.

"We expect to complete the process soon and get the vaccines into the country, which will come as a donation," Dr Mandlhate said.

"You should take into consideration the fact that this is a product on high demand the world over and we might delay in getting it," she added.

The vaccines will cater for at least two million people.

People to get first preference in accessing the vaccine include health workers since they are the most vulnerable as they come into contact with people infected by the virus.

Children and the elderly will also be considered in accessing the limited vaccines.

The vaccine has between 75 and 95 percent chances of protecting people from contracting swine flu.

Forty-one cases have been confirmed to be pandemic HIN1 type A virus while 1 538 were treated as suspected cases in the country.

Health and Child Welfare Minister Henry Madzorera said Zimbabwe was in the process of upgrading local laboratories to be able to distinguish between Influenza type A from type B as efforts to contain swine flu continue.

"All our health institutions are still alert for any suspected swine flu cases and we will continue to train laboratory technicians and health workers in management of H1N1 virus," Minister Madzorera said.

Currently, Zimbabwe can only distinguish whether a flu-like symptom is H1N1 through rapid tests, but can not further classify it whether it is the pandemic type A or B.

Influenza type A means the patient could have contracted either avian flu or swine flu.

To confirm suspected H1N1 cases, Zimbabwe sends samples to either South Africa or Zambia, which are WHO pre-qualified.

However, the South African laboratory has of late been inundated with its own cases as well as samples from other countries in the region.