Coronavirus vaccine will help South Sudan return to normalcy, says health minister.

By Viola Elias

South Sudan received 132 thousand doses of the AstraZeneca COVID – 19 Vaccine Thursday and another 59,000 jabs from the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) Friday.  

South Sudan’s national health minister says the first shipments shall target health care workers; doctors, nurses, and other vulnerable groups. 

Speaking to journalists at Juba International Airport, health minister Elizabeth Achuil said this was the first of the several vaccine shipments scheduled to arrive over the coming months through the support of the COVAX Facility.

The COVAX Facility is a global partnership made up of a Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) which includes Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and the World Health Organization. COVAX was established to ensure that all countries can equitably access COVID-19 vaccines.

Achueil says COVAX-supported vaccines will be given to health care workers as well as the elderly given their increased risk of contracting other severe diseases.

The COVAX shipment of vaccines includes 132,000 doses, 132,500 syringes and 1,325 safety boxes for the safe disposal of syringes.

Achuil described it as a great milestone. “The COVID-19 (vaccine) will help us to protect our population against the Covis-19 infections and prepare for a return to a normal life. We are grateful to all partners for their support in facilitating the arrival of the vaccines in our country.” Achueil said, stating that South Sudan expects to receive another 732-thousand doses of vaccines within the next few months.

Hamida Lasseko, the UNICEF representative for South Sudan, said a Covid-19 vaccination campaign kicks off across the country on Monday next week.

“it is very important that the government has decided to start with the health workers who are the frontline workers because they are the ones to be safe so as to continue with delivering health services, then later other groups who have been put in the criteria.”  

Lasskeo it’s important for everyone to eventually get vaccinated.

Manuel Mueller, the German Ambassador to South Sudan representing the donor community said South Sudan is one of 140 countries that will benefit from the COVAX initiative by the end of May.

He added that the vaccine distribution is not based on political favors but on need.

“Our goal is that everyone in the world can have access to the required vaccine.” Mueller emphasized.

“That is what we mean when we say the vaccine against covid-19 must be a common goal. People in the developing countries too have the right to a vaccine that has been tested safely thoroughly and transparently.” He added saying for COVAX, the approval of the WHO is a condition for the use of the Vaccine.

Mueller revealed that COVAX has already secured more than 3 billion doses of vaccines that can cover at least one third of the global population in 2021.

A person who gets the AstraZeneca vaccine requires two doses to ensure optimal immune response against the virus according to health experts.

The vaccination process in South Sudan will be provided on a voluntary basis and free of charge.

WHO representative for South Sudan Dr. Fabian Ndenzako said people should still wear face masks and practice other preventative measures.

“I would like to emphasize that if the vaccine starts to roll out alongside the world, they should complement not to replace the proven public measures such as wearing masks, physical distancing, ventilation and hand hygiene alongside robust programs to test, trace, isolate and treat.” Ndenzako said.

South Sudan joins the list of more than fifteen African countries which have received Covid-19 vaccines.

Through the COVAX Facility, 732,000 doses of vaccines are expected to be delivered to South Sudan by the end of June.