US donates 3.4 m more Pfizer vaccines to Uganda
US Ambassador to Uganda, Ms Natalie E Brown (centre) poses with health officials as she handed over a consignment of Pfizer vaccines donated by the US to Uganda. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The donations come at a time when the President promised to fully reopen the economy in January and expects at least more than seven to have all been fully vaccinated.
The United States of America has donated more 3.4 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Uganda.
The latest batch of Pfizer vaccines now brings the total number of doses that the American government has donated to Uganda to 5.8 million.
“These recently delivered 3.5 million Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine doses represent the largest ever donation of Covid-19 vaccines to Uganda and the third donation of Covid-19 vaccines from the people of the United States to the people of Uganda,” US Ambassador to Uganda, Ms Natalie E Brown, said at the weekend.
Adding: “This donation underscores the United States’ commitment to support Uganda’s Covid-19 response and protect the health of the Ugandan people. Ugandans can count on the United States to support their efforts to fight the pandemic and get their economy back on track.”
In a statement issued last evening by Ms Dorothy Nanyonga, the Information Assistant of US Mission in Uganda, in addition to vaccine donations, the US has provided further assistance valued at more than $113 million (about Shs400b) to support Uganda’s Covid-19 response.
“In support of Uganda’s national vaccine rollout, the United States has provided technical and financial support in data management, risk communication, health worker training, human resources support, supply chain strengthening, and cold storage capacity enabling vaccine uptake across Uganda,” read in part the press statement.
Adding: “The United States has also provided life-saving commodities including oxygen delivery equipment such as cylinders, regulators, and other intensive care unit (ICU) equipment; personal protective equipment (PPE); and supplies for infection prevention and control.
The statement revealed that to date, the United States has donated more than 225 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to more than 100 countries around the world and that they are committed to sharing 1.1 billion vaccine doses where they are needed most to end the Covid-19 global pandemic.
The donations come at a time when the President promised to fully reopen the economy in January and expects at least more than seven to have all been fully vaccinated.
Government has so far administered 3.3 million of 8.9 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines it acquired through donations and direct procurement.
