Uganda receives 1st shipment of AstraZeneca vaccine

Uganda has received the first consignment of 864,000 COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccines through COVAX.

The vaccine, delivered by Emirates airline, was received at Entebbe International Airport by Ugandan Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, US Ambassador Natalie Brown, and WHO Representative Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam among other diplomats.

Uganda aims to vaccinate 20% of its population with doses from COVAX, with 40% vaccinated via government and private-sector funding.

COVAX is part of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which was launched in April by the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Commission and France, with the aim of providing equitable access to diagnostics, treatments and vaccines.

Due to shortages of supplies, Uganda announced plans to buy 18 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India, but the country faces cash shortages.