South Sudan’s health ministry has indicated that it anticipates receiving its second shipment of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility in the second week of August.
Dr. John Rumunu, the Ministry of Health’s Director-General for Preventive Health Services and Acting Incident Manager, addressed the press in Juba on Sunday, stating that they had completed the necessary documentation to guarantee the vaccinations arrived in the country.
“We are not concerned about vaccinations entering the country; we already have 60,000 doses from AstraZeneca that will arrive in the second week of August to continue with what we have begun while arranging for more vaccines to enter the country. We do not know a date, but a focal point has informed us that they would arrive in the second week of August,” Dr. Rumunu said.
Dr. Rumunu emphasizes the critical significance of vaccination in reducing the severity of Covid-19 infections.
“Vaccines are critical not just for preventing transmission, but also for lowering disease severity. If you develop the disease after immunization, your sickness will be minor. However, an individual who has not got the vaccination may get a more severe disease, which may result in death,” he said.
Additionally, he states that South Sudan now reports an average of nine cases each day.
“Our daily case count is nine, based on the seven-day moving average. That is the average at a positivity rate of 1.9 or 2%. That is, for every 100 individuals, at least two have the illness, and for every 50 people, at least one has,” he said.
South Sudan’s Ministry of Health has said that it anticipates receiving vaccinations provided by the African Union once the necessary procedures are completed.
According to the country’s ministry of health, 132 nations have verified the existence of the Delta strain.
Dr. Joseph Wamalla, WHO’s Official for Emergency and Preparedness, said COVAX has committed to vaccinating 20% of all African nations by the end of 2021.
“I am aware of many nations in Africa that had the financial means to purchase vaccines, but were unable to do so due to a supply shortage. However, we have a promise from COVAX; COVAX has committed that by the end of the year, they will be able to provide vaccinations to at least 20% of Africa’s population “”It will be 2021,” he said.
