KAMPALA, Uganda
More than 30,000 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Uganda so far, according to the Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng.
Aceng made the revelation on Thursday during a press briefing to update the country on the vaccination and highlight Uganda’s one-year journey since its first case was reported.
"To-date 32,526, people have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. We are going to cascade this vaccination until the entire population is covered to prevent severe disease and death,” Aceng said.
Uganda’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign began on March 10 following the arrival of an initial batch of more than 800,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines on March 5.
Aceng thanked the COVAX facility and India for enabling Uganda to access that initial batch noting that a total of 663,520 doses had been distributed to all districts in the country so far.
Aceng reiterated the position of the World Health Organization that countries should consider continuing to roll out the AstraZeneca vaccine, while ensuring that they continue to monitor the safety of all events.
Uganda is hoping to vaccinate just under half of its population because government statistics indicate the eligible population, which is aged 18 and above, is about 49.6 percent.
Only persons aged 18 years and above are eligible for vaccination as the available vaccines are not yet authorized for use in persons younger than 18 years of age in whom research is still ongoing.
The minister added that organizations interested in providing vaccines to their employees should write a request to the Director General Health Services to import approved COVID-19 vaccines.
She warned such organizations that the vaccines they will import will be strictly for use within their own confines and will not be for sale.
Ugandahas so far reported 40,734 confirmed coronavirus cases and 334 deaths.
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