Vietnam’s health ministry has disclosed its intention to buy a bulk order of Russia’s coronavirus vaccine,

The disclosure was made by the state media said today, not minding the global skepticism of the vaccine’s effectiveness and safety.

Vietnam has been widely praised for its effective handling of the pandemic and went nearly 100 days without recording a locally transmitted infection until last month when an outbreak in the beach resort of Danang put the country back on high alert and several towns are under virtual lockdown.

According to a report by the states newsman, Tuoi Tre, there is the possibility of Vietnam to receive up to 150 million doses with a fraction of them donated by Russia. He added that acting health minister Nguyen Thanh Long had approved the purchase. But state news website VNExpress claims officials were still deliberating over a health ministry plan to buy the vaccine doses.

Moscow announced that this week it had developed the world’s first vaccine offering “sustainable immunity” against the coronavirus and was in the final stage of human trials but Germany and the U.S. are among the countries who have expressed doubt on the claim following Western scientists concerns about the speed of its development and suggestion that researchers might be cutting corners.

Although it is not certain when Vietnam would be able to receive the vaccine doses, Tuoi Tre had reported that Russia had also agreed to donate “a number of machines” and other medical equipment to help contain the outbreak.