Norway donates 285,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines

The Norwegian government has donated 285,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Uganda as part of its global efforts to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines in Africa and developing countries.

These vaccines, that are expected next week, will be the fourth batch to be received in the country.

Mr Elin Ostebo Johansen, the Norwegian Ambassador, said their government has donated 20 million Norwegian Kroners (Shs8b), to World Health Organisation (WHO) to purchase the vaccines and also improve Covid-19 vaccine coverage and uptake in the country.

He made remarks while signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the WHO yesterday in Kampala.

“We know that there have been challenges of the people in the countryside getting access to the vaccines. We are providing Shs8 billion for taking the vaccine to the countryside and next week, we are giving additional 285,600 vaccines for Ugandans to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” she said.

Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, the WHO country representative, said experience has shown that whereas getting vaccines and delivering them to the country has been a challenge, operational costs such as allowances for the people vaccinating, storing and distributing the vaccines are expenses which have not been budgeted for, thereby, complicating the exercise.

“Getting the vaccines and delivering them has not only been a challenge, but distribution to the population has a lot of operational costs.

“This money is to ensure that the vaccines supplied by Norway next week and the additional one million doses coming, reach the public in time,” he said.

The donation by the Norwegian government, comes a day after Leader of Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga and former Forum for Democratic Change party president Dr Kizza Besigye, rallied International humanitarian organisations to donate vaccines to Uganda so that the country can be able to vaccinate the targeted 21.9 million Ugandans.

Vaccination

Dr Jane Aceng, the Health minister, said there has been a shift of infections from the vulnerable groups earlier identified, to youth aged between 18 and 39.

“Uganda will look at every available vaccine in the market. Parliament advised that we invest more on vaccines. The Ministry of Health is having discussions with manufacturers and WHO to access the Covax facility,” she said.

Dr Aceng explained that vaccines that will be purchased will be administered geographically to avoid mixing the vaccines.

Uganda targets to vaccinate 21.9 million people and of these, at least 1 million have received the Covid jab.