Uganda receives Sinovac vaccines next week
Ugandan government will this week receive a total of 700,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccines from their Chinese counterparts to help bolster the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Uganda will next week on October 19th, 2021 receive more 700,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccines from the government of China,” said the Ministry of Health spokesperson, Emmanuel Ainebyoona.
When it arrives, the batch will add onto another consignment of 300,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine that the Chinese government recently donated to Uganda.
He says the vaccines will help government beat the target of vaccinating at least 4.8 million people by the end of this year. This is a precursor for the full reopening of the economy, which has been hit hard by the pandemic and its effects, like the lockdown.
Government and private stakeholders have scaled up vaccination drives aimed at ensuring the 4.8 million target is achieved.
The Ministry of Health has set up temporary vaccination centres in the taxi parks, City Square, schools, churches, and mosques . This is to target the population who could not afford health facilities which had initially been set up as the only vaccination centres.
The Minister for Health, Dr.Ruth Aceng recently said the elderly are requesting that vaccination teams follow them to where they stay because of transport challenges and accessibility. Consequently, the latest vaccination drives will reach many people.
Members of the private sector especially beer companies led by Uganda Breweries have also put in place efforts to ensure many people, are vaccinated.
Even bars have been turned into temporary vaccination centers. Whereas on Saturday, UBL, KCCA, Coca Cola and the Ministry of Health, organized the first ever mass vaccination drive at Kololo independence grounds. Over 20 mobile vaccination stations were set up in one location with provisions for convenient access and amenities such as a holding area, recovery tent, hospitality, and entertainment. The exercise done on a weekend targeted mostly the youths who claim to be busy to get vaccinated.