Africa-Press – Uganda. We believe if this strategy is used, many more Ugandans would be vaccinated against the deadly virus.
Appearing before the Health Committee on Tuesday, health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, shocked legislators and the nation at large, when she asked for an additional Shs652b to, among others, buy Covid-19 vaccines.
The minister briefly reasoned that as the line ministry, they were getting ready to combat Covid-19 in case it resurrects.
She did not disclose which type of vaccines were to be procured and how many doses but simply said the money is needed to procure vaccines and related supplies, storage and distribution.
This request for additional funds by the minister came at a time when the same ministry announced that there were no more hospital admissions of Covid-19 patients in any hospital in the country.
Likewise, as the ministry is asking for additional funds, it has at the same time failed to administer about 24.8 million donated doses that are soon expiring.
This newspaper’s mini investigations have shown that the health ministry has so far used about Shs128b out of the Shs560b that it received to procure about five million doses, leaving about Shs432b un-accounted for.
Likewise, several developed countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, and Germany, among others, have since and continue to extend free doses to the country, totaling to about 40 million so far.
One cannot help but wonder if truly this request by the ministry is our most pressing need.
Perhaps at the moment, the ministry should channel all its energies into mass mobilisation of the population to ensure that the old stock of vaccines are fully utilized before they expire.
We believe if this strategy is used, many more Ugandans would be vaccinated against the deadly global virus.
This would have also tremendously reduced the numbers of people who would be in need of vaccination and would also in turn, reduce the amount of additional money, if any, to buy extra vaccines.
Our commitment to you
We pledge:
Further, we ask that we be informed whenever you feel that we have fallen short in our attempt to keep these commitments.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
