LUSAKA, Zambia
Zambia on Wednesday
launched the COVID-19 vaccination program against the pandemic.
The national launch, which was held at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), the country's highest referral hospital in the country's capital Lusaka, was attended by officials from the health ministry, cooperating partners and private sector representatives.
The launch involves the first pillar of the program under
the COVAX Facility consisting of 228,000 doses of AstraZeneca manufactured in
India.
The first pillar will cover 20 percent or 3.6 million of
the eligible over 18 years people and will target front-line health workers and
other people at most risk. A total of 8.3 million people are targeted to be
vaccinated.
Minister of Health Jonas Chanda said the launch of the
program signifies the government's commitment to the fight against the
pandemic.
He said the launch signals the rollout of the program to
all parts of the country with provincial launches expected in the coming days.
The Zambian minister, who was the first to get the
vaccination, said the fierceness of the pandemic requires that it must be
tackled with seriousness, adding that the vaccination program was a great
stride to tackle the pandemic and protect citizens.
He reiterated that the vaccination program will be
conducted in a cautious and phased manner on a voluntary basis and urged all eligible
citizens to get vaccinated.
He further revealed that the country expects the second
batch of the vaccines under the COVAX Facility next month and commended
cooperating partners for financing the vaccine mechanism.
United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Coumba Mar Gadio
said the launch of the program was a momentous occasion and was a mark of the
government's commitment to fighting the pandemic.
She said she was impressed at the rate the Zambian
government has managed to get the vaccine when other countries were still
struggling and urged citizens to take the vaccine as it was safe and vital in
fighting the pandemic.
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