KAMPALA, UGANDA: Uganda has on Monday (today) received 1,674,270 doses of Pfizer vaccine from the US Government in support of the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination exercise.
This is the largest consignment of COVID-19 vaccines received to date.
The contingent of the Pzifer Covid vaccines which arrived on Monday afternoon aboard the Fly Emirates was received by the officials from the Ministry of Health, US Embassy, and WHO at Entebbe International Airport.
This donation of the vaccines comes as a fulfillment after the US government initially pledged to donate Pfizer vaccines to Uganda but instead donated Moderna at the beginning of this month due to supply shortfalls for Pzifer in the US.
According to the National Medical Stores Spokesperson Sheila Nduhikire, this is the largest consignment of Covid 19 vaccines the country has ever brought.
“Uganda has received 1,674,270 doses of Pfizer from the US Mission in Uganda (@usmissionuganda)! This is the largest consignment of any COVID vaccines received in the country to date.” Nduhukire tweeted on Monday afternoon.
The vaccines will be stored in highly specialized fridges at the National Medical Stores of up to -80 degrees.
“We have built sufficient capacity to store the vaccines because they require specialized cold storage of – 50 degrees which we have in plenty,” Nduhukire said.
She added that the vaccines will be distributed according to the Ministry of Health Guidelines yet to be communicated.
Uganda has so far received two million one hundred and fifty-three thousand and one hundred and fifty dozes of Astra Zeneca and three hundred thousand doses of other types of Covid 19 vaccines. Moderna has also offered 647080 doses.
Dr. Aceng when receiving the Moderna vaccines two weeks ago said the country expects to get 27 million vaccine doses including Johnson and Johnson, through COVAX Facility and the African Union starting next month (October).
Do you have a story or an opinion to share? Email us on: [email protected] Or join the Daily Express WhatsApp channel for all the latest news and trends or join the Telegram Channel for the latest updates.
