Somalia receives first batch of COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX

according to the Somalia health ministry, The First consignment of vaccines targets as recommended by the COVID19 National task force, the Country’s frontline workers, elderly and people with chronic health conditions and it aims to reduce deaths and diseases caused by COVID-19

Overall, Somalia has secured enough vaccines from the COVAX facility to vaccinate at least 20 per cent of its population, in phases. The Covax facility seeks to accelerate the development and manufacturing of COVID19 Vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world. the government of Somalia is also in the process of assessing ways to provide vaccines for more people.

“The arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines happens at a critical time as Somalia is now experiencing a new wave of the epidemic. it can only be contained if all countries stand together, Somalia included. I call on all healthcare workers and people at high risk who have been prioritized to receive vaccines from this first batch so we can protect our health workforce, other frontline workers and high-risk people,” said Somalia’s federal minister of health, Fawsiya abikar nur.

“The United Nations in Somalia stands ready to support the Somali authorities for the COVAX vaccine roll-out. we are committed to supporting the government of Somalia to reach out to the mist vulnerable groups and frontline workers to ensure that spread of the virus is contained, and that Somali people recover quickly from this pandemic and the country continues making progress towards peace and stability,.” said United Nations secretary-general’s special representative for Somalia, James Swan

Somalia has recorded 8,946 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 349 deaths, since March 2020. from 1 to 22 February 2021, a total of 1,432 new cases and 76 deaths were reported in Mogadishu alone, this has been the largest increase in a week since the may-june of 2020 when the epidemic peaked at between 500-600 cases a week.

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