Entebbe Hospital resumes COVID vaccination

Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital has resumed its COVID-19 vaccination drive two days after it was reported that the hospital had run out of vaccines.

The hospital’s Executive Director, Dr Moses Muwanga, told New Vision that they run out of vaccine doses two days ago and the process of getting a new consignment was lengthy, thereby prompting the delay.

“When the vaccines got done, we informed the ministry which informed the district. The district then informed National Medical Stores (NMS) which delivered to the district and the district gave us. Now we are vaccinating. The numbers are too much,” he said.

He said the hospital is overwhelmed with numbers including people who are coming from other regions to get inoculated.

To date, 565,163 people have received their COVID-19 jabs. This number includes those that have received two doses of the AstraZeneca jab.

Due to the spike in COVID cases, especially in the Kampala metropolitan area-Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono- the ministry has recalled vaccines from upcountry districts, to intensify vaccination in this hard-hit region.

The rural districts have each been left with 10 vials of the vaccine. Each vial has between 10 and 13 doses. This will help cover those who are returning for their last jab.

The hopes of the country getting another vaccine consignment from the GAVI and WHO led COVAX facility have been dashed because the primary supplier, India, has stopped supply to inoculate its whole population.

On Thursday, Dr Yonas Tegegn, the WHO representative, said they are doing all that is possible including reaching out to the first world countries to donate their excess doses to the facility for redistribution to the poor countries. 

He said if all goes well, Uganda may get vaccines in July.

Government is also exploring other alternatives to see if it can purchase other vaccines that are approved for emergency use by WHO. 

These include Johnson and Johnson and the Chinese vaccine.