COVID-19: 9,222 doses yet to be administered, South Sudan to receive 60,000 doses in August

South Sudan’s Health Ministry has announced that it would get its second batch of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization through the COVAX facility in the first week of August.

John Rumunu, the Director-General for Preventive Health Services, disclosed the information to the media in Juba on Sunday at his monthly coronavirus briefing.

“We anticipate receiving the second batch in the first week of August. The COVAX facility will provide 60,000 doses.

“On July 18, the initial batch of the vaccination will expire. We have 9,222 doses left and the vaccination will expire in around two weeks, 14 days,” Rumunu said.

South Sudan received 132,000 doses of the Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) on March 25, with the vaccine shipment expected to reach South Sudan by June.

Rumunu said that the 72,000 doses of vaccine returned to the COVAX facility were banked, adding that they were added to the pool, with South Sudan receiving 60,000 doses from the pool.

He added that immunisation efforts were proceeding smoothly throughout the country.

“We are doing well with vaccination in terms of finishing the remaining vaccinations before they expire, and there is no question that we will since the current daily output is above 1000,” Rumunu said.

Across the nation, at least 50,778 individuals have gotten the AstraZeneca vaccine. 47,037 people received their first dosage, while 3,741 received their second dose.

The initial shipment was facilitated by COVAX, with the goal of reaching out to health care professionals, as well as older adults and individuals with underlying health problems.