An uptake of Covid-19 vaccine is still low, despite availability of the doses.
By Friday, 1,697,748 doses had been administered. This is out of the 2,799,920 doses of vaccines Uganda acquired from AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Moderna in the recent past.
But the ministry says the uptake is still poor and that some of the vaccines might expire before being used in districts where they were sent.
Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Health Ministry spokesman says delays in vaccination will also affect the country’s position to acquire vaccines since global distribution is currently based on how fast a country uses doses already allocated.
Doses are still limited, he told the Kampala Post.
Although the ministry does not link the low uptake to a particular concern, there have been concerns from a section of the public on the side effects of the vaccine.
But even with the low uptake, Uganda will get 4 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines this month and the coming one, according to Ainebyoona.
The doses will be acquired from Johnson and Johnson, Sinopharm, Moderna and Pfizer.
Uganda’s strategy is to vaccinate 22 million people, translating to 49.8% of the population. The first phase will cover people with comorbidities that are 18 years and above, elderly aged 50 and above, health workers, teachers, and security personnel.
In the second phase, anyone 18 years and above will be immunized and, in the third phase, children below 18 will be immunized following recommendations from the Scientific Advisory Committee.