Uganda opts for vaccines elsewhere than India

KAMPALA: Uganda planned to import COVID-19 vaccines from elsewhere after India as a supplier is grappling with a surge in cases domestically, said Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

"We were getting the vaccine from India, but they are now struggling. We shall get the J and J (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine and also import another batch from Cuba. That's our strategy," said Museveni in a televised address on Saturday.

Uganda has received 964,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX initiative and the Indian government, and is expected to import another 5 million doses, the Xinhua news agency reported.

About 330,077 people in Uganda have so far received the first AstraZeneca jab, according to the health ministry.

"To be on the safe side let's immunise a minimum of five or seven million, then we can open up curfew," Museveni said, urging the public to continue adhering to the prevention measures.

As of Saturday, Uganda's national count of COVID-19 cases reached 41,905, with 41,422 recoveries and 342 deaths. (IANS)

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