Uganda resumes nationwide Covid-19 vaccinations

Covid-19 vaccination Uganda

A staff member of Uganda's Health ministry holds a dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at Mulago referral hospital in Kampala, on the first day of a vaccination campaign, on March 10, 2021. 

Photo credit: Badru Katumba | Nation Media Group

Kampala,

Uganda on Monday resumed Covid-19 vaccination for health workers and those due to receive a second AstraZeneca jab after a three-week suspension.

The Ministry of Health said in a statement that the campaign will last one month, using over 175,200 AstraZeneca doses it received this month.

Early this month, the government suspended the vaccination drive due to a shortage of doses.

"Those to be immunized are all those who have reached 12 weeks since receiving their first dose of the vaccine and health workers," said the statement.

Uganda expects to receive an additional 882,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine through the Covax facility next month to address the nationwide stockout.

A batch of China's Sinovac Covid-19 vaccines are also expected to arrive in the east African country next month, according to the ministry.

As of Sunday, the total number of people in Uganda vaccinated against Covid-19 remained at 843,039, according to official figures.