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March 3, 2021

Controversy over AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine: We’ve received doses, says Edo SSG; we haven’t given out any— NPHCDA

Uganda will import five million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines next month after the discovery of new COVID-19 variants in the country, President Yoweri Museveni has said. In a televised address to the nation late Friday, Museveni said the vaccines will be used to vaccinate at least 80 per cent of the 5.5 million elderly. People below 50 years, with underlying medical conditions that are at high risk of contracting the novel coronavirus, will also be vaccinated. Uganda targets to vaccinate more than 21.9 million people who face the highest risk of the infection, including the health workers, teachers, social workers and security personnel, elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. “The government is working hard to ensure we bring another five million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine before the end of May to complete the threshold vaccination and ensure that those vaccinated before getting the second booster dose,’’ said Museveni. “Vaccines are the most effective intervention we have against COVID-19. “The government and partners are working hard to bring vaccines to most adult Ugandans to protect them and to support us to reopen the economy and get back all our children to school.’’ Henry Mwebesa, Director-General of Health Services, last week said Uganda is scheduled to receive some two million more doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in May through the COVAX facility. Uganda has so far received 964,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX vaccine sharing programme and the Indian government. As of April 16, a total of 220,893 people had been inoculated with the first jab of AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Health statistics. The country has reported the emergence of the highly transmissible COVID-19 variants which were first reported in Britain, South Africa and Nigeria. The ministry’s data showed that as of April 16, Uganda had registered a cumulative total of 41,340 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 40,898 recoveries and 338 deaths.

By Ozioruva Aliu— BENIN CITY

The Edo State Government has received doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for distribution in the state.

In a statement, Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, said doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are in the custody of the state government, with the government finalising arrangements for its deployment across the state.

Ogie noted that the state was preparing a localised distribution mechanism for the rollout of the vaccines in line with the national plan.

However, reacting to Edo State’s claim, a National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, official said: “As of today, March 3, no single state in Nigeria has received vaccine from the Federal Government.”

READ ALSO: COVID-19: FG to adopt polio-immunisation strategy in vaccinating eligible citizens

But according to Ogie: “The Edo State Government is in custody of doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines received from the Federal Government for distribution in the state.

“We are preparing a local distribution network for rolling out the vaccines in line with the national plan.”

Vanguard reported that 3.94 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines arrived in the country on Tuesday. Read it HERE.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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