How govt plans to roll out Covid vaccination amid lockdown

With the country under lockdown, government has resorted to mobile strategy to vaccinate Ugandans, starting tomorrow (Monday).
Dr Charles Olaro, the Health ministry director of curative services, says the vaccination will be carried out with strict adherence to the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

“The vaccination team will move from one place to another, calling telephone numbers captured during the first vaccination. For example, for Kampala, the director of public health knows where the residents are and we will be able to reach them,” Dr Olaro said on Friday.

Last week, the country received 175,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines that were donated by France under the Covax programme. This adds onto the 964,000 doses of donation from Covax and another 100,000 doses from the Indian government, but have been used up.

The Health ministry says health workers and those due for the second dose will be prioritised during the exercise.
Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Health ministry spokesperson, says government will use the phone numbers to send reminders and alert on venues of vaccination.

“We are going to work with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). We shall communicate about the eight points per division, which should be within a walkable distance,” Mr Ainebyoona said in telephone interview on Friday.

“We are going to use phone numbers to remind people where they will get their jabs,” he added.

The National Medical Stores (NMS), the government body in charge of storage and distribution of government drugs, yesterday said a total of 117,520 doses were dispatched to 135 districts, with 94 districts confirming receipt of 93,360 doses by Thursday. KCCA was set to receive 57,480 of the vaccines. 

The KCCA head of public and corporate affairs, Mr Daniel Nuweabine, said the vaccination exercise will take place at venues easily accessible such as schools and polling stations.