Govt announces mass Covid-19 vaccination

Government has announced the resumption of mass Covid-19 vaccination in Masaka, Karamoja and other areas in eastern Uganda starting Friday.

The Ministry of Health said it had suspended the regional Covid-19 vaccination campaigns to concentrate on nationwide mass polio immunisation but routine Covid-19 has been going on at health facilities across the country.

The renewed drive comes at a time when government agencies and some companies are either planning or have started  barring unvaccinated people from accessing services or working.

Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, the national Covid-19 vaccination coordinator, told Daily Monitor yesterday that they have 13 million doses to execute this drive aimed at curbing Covid-19 hospitalisation and death.

He said they are targeting areas of greater Masaka, Kampala, Karamoja, Kapchorwa, Bugisu, Bukedea and Busoga.

Dr Kyabayinze revealed that  preparations are underway to ensure that vaccination starts on Friday or Saturday.

“We will soon require mandates, so people should come out when we still have enough time to reach and vaccinate them. Soon the mandate of not being able to move freely [will be in place for those who are not vaccinated],” he said.

Dr Kyabayinze said by yesterday morning they were holding meetings for regional leaders and that tomorrow there will be training of sub-county and parish leaders.

He said Chief Administrative Officers, Resident District Commissioners, District Health Officers, Local Council Fives and accounting officers  will attend the meeting to discuss the budget.

The Ministry of Health said it has completed the regional campaigns in Lango, Teso, Kigezi and Acholi but routine Covid-19 vaccination is going on in health facilities.

Information from the ministry which  indicates that the country has so far vaccinated 48 percent of the target which is 22 million Ugandans.

A total of 10.5million doses of vaccines have been administered as first dose and a total of four million people are fully vaccinated.

The ministry has also started administering booster doses to the elderly and those with comorbidities who have completed six months since full vaccination.

The campaign launch is also happening at a time when the Ministry of Health statistics  indicate  that Covid-19 infection rates are on the decline but coronavirus deaths have remained high.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, a total of 3,483 have succumbed to Covid-19 of the 160,572 who have been infected. Currently, 284 Covid-19 patients are admitted to hospitals, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Statistics

Infections in the last three weeks (14,389)

Deaths in the last three weeks (168)

Cumulative infections since outbreak (160,572)

Cumulative deaths since outbreak (3,483)

Total number vaccinated with first dose  (10.4million)

Total number fully vaccinated (4million)

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