‘Logistical challenges delay shipment of Covid-19 Vaccine to Wau’- health undersecretary
The undersecretary in the national ministry of health has revealed that logistical challenges have delayed the shipment of Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccines to Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State.
Last month, the health ministry undersecretary, Professor Mayen Achiek, disclosed that the ministry was ready to dispatch the first shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines to Wau which would be first given to health workers and people with underlying conditions.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj over the weekend, Professor Achiek said logistical challenges were the reason behind the delay but he promised again that the vaccine will reach Wau this week.
‘Covid-19 cases reduce, remain vigilant’-health ministry
The ministry of health has said there has been a marked reduction in Covid-19 cases in South Sudan but warned that people should not drop their guard and must continue following preventive measures.
The national Covid-19 incident manager, Dr. Richard Laku, this morning told Radio Tamazuj that the country had come out of the second wave of coronavirus and is now registering a low rate of infections.
“In the last 24 hours, we have recorded 5 cases. Now we have a total of 10,800 positive cases with 115 death cases so far with 10,700 recoveries. In the last two weeks the recorded positive cases have reduced because we have come out of the second wave,” Dr. Laku said.
20 April 2021 - 10:47 By TimesLIVE About 60,000 doses of vaccine donated by the AU to South Sudan have expired. Stock photo. Image: 123RF/ssilver
About 60,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine donated by the AU to South Sudan expired before they could be used, the country s health officials have said.
BBC reported that about 2,000 health workers and the elderly have been vaccinated in Juba, South Sudan s capital.
The report said the state s incident manager, Dr Richard Laku, said the country wouldn t have finished the 60,000 donated doses before their expiry date even if it had started using them.
The World Health Organisation in Sudan said they would assist the South Sudan government on how to dispose the vaccine if asked.
Covid-19: South Sudan to dispose of 60,000 doses of expired AU donated vaccines
South Sudan’s ministry of health says it is planning to dispose of the expired 60,000 doses of African Union and MTN partnership donated vaccines this week.
The 60,000 doses are the second consignment South Sudan received from the African Union last month.
The government says it is currently using the 132,000 doses of the first batch of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines obtained directly from the COVAX facility last month. The vaccine doses are also expected to expire in July this year.
A few days ago, South Sudan’s Drugs and Food Control Authority (DFCA) announced that the AU and MTN donated vaccines had expired in the cold chain before use. It says the 60,000 vaccine doses had a safe life of only 14 days when they arrived in the country.
Health authorities in South Sudan have reported that 60,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, donated by the African Union, expired before they were used.
The country last month postponed the start of the vaccination campaign, citing logistical challenges.
Vaccinations are currently being done using another batch of 132,000 doses. received in March through the vaccine sharing Covax initiative.
Dr Richard Laku, the government s Incident Manager, said even if the country had started vaccinations using the 60,000 doses, they wouldn t have finished them before the expiry date.
About 2,000 health workers and the elderly in the capital Juba have received their first jab since the rollout started two weeks ago.