Prime
Uganda expects to get first batch of COVID-19 vaccine by May
Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Ms Judith Nabakooba. PHOTO/ FILE
What you need to know:
- Ms Nabakooba issued the statement moments before the Ministry of Health said they had registered 485 new Covid-19 infections as confirmed cases on Sunday rose to 31,187 with 231 virus deaths.
Uganda expects to obtain the first batch of COVID-19 vaccine by May or June 2021, government has revealed.
"However, we believe that as more vaccines become available globally, we might be able to get them much earlier than June," the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Ms Judith Nabakooba said in a statement on Sunday.
Priority will be given to frontline medical workers, the elderly and people with existing health conditions, according to the minister.
"Our country has reached a critical stage in the battle against Covid-19. The number of people dying on a daily basis is far more than those that are being officially recorded. Ministry of Health estimates that there even more unknown Covid-19 deaths happening in the community before reaching the health centres. This is, therefore, the time when we all must wake up and take seriously the prevention guidance that has been given," added Ms Nabakooba before reiterating that all treatment centres in public and private hospitals are full to capacity.
The number of critically ill people that need oxygen on a 24-hour basis has exceeded the available capacity, the minister added.
"Government spends about Shs 22 million for every critically ill Covid-19 patient that is admitted on Oxygen. For the private hospitals, critically ill patients are spending about Shs5 million daily in order to stay on oxygen" she said.
Ms Nabakooba issued the statement moments before the Ministry of Health said they had registered 485 new Covid-19 infections as confirmed cases on Sunday rose to 31,187 with 231 virus deaths.
