Government has assured Ugandans that the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines will arrive in Uganda between March and April 2021.
This was revealed during a meeting between Parliamentary Health Committee and Ministry of Health officials led by Health State Minister, Robinah Nabbanja and PS Diana Atwine. The meeting was meant to discuss budget framework paper for 2021/22 Financial Year.
Atwine (pictured) said that the government of Uganda working together with GAVI is set to deliver 63,000 and priority will be given to doctors, elderly people and persons with other complicated diseases.
She however added that in the coming financial year Government hasn’t ear marked any funds to procure COVID-19 vaccine and apparently they are relying on donations from GAVI.
Atwine said the Ministry has already signed all agreements with GAVI and all applications have been approved.
However, one of the terms is that Uganda will be responsible for the liabilities out of the vaccine but not the donor patterned.
In the Committee meeting chaired by Micheal Bukenya, MPs tasked Health Ministry officials to explain why some Ugandans are yet to receive face masks.
In response, Atwine said that the challenge they faced was the release in funds by the ministry of finance to pay the manufacturers which affected distribution of masks.
Apparently out of 146 districts, only 88 have been given masks.
The ministry has warned that the COVID-19 situation in the country is getting worse, urging the public to follow the prevention Standard Operating Procedures.
