The initial batch of 864,000 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines has arrived on Friday afternoon received by Minister of Health Dr Ruth Aceng and other officials at Entebbe airport.
Ministry of Health earlier this week announced the first consignment will arrive in Uganda on March 5th, 2021.
The Minister of Health Dr Ruth Aceng added that vaccination will then commence on March 10.
The announcement comes almost a year after Uganda recorded its first Covid-19 cases.
Dr. Aceng said that in the context of global pressure on vaccine stocks, priority persons to be vaccinated is going to guided by the occupational risks of infection, risk of developing severe disease, death from COVID-19 and population characteristics like age, gender and geographical location.
“Uganda targets to vaccinate 49.6% of the population which is about 21,936,011 people, in a phased manner. Each phase is planned to cover 20% of the population which is about 4,387,202 people. The eligible population lies in the age range of 18 years and above,” Dr. Aceng said.
The health minister said that the first phase of vaccination will focus on health workers from all public, private not for profit and private for private health centres that are estimated to be around 150,000 across the country.
