Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Kennedy Malama has reiterated government’s assurance to continue acquiring additional consignments of vaccines in line with the approved basket of vaccines.
Dr. Malama says to date, government has have finalised the legal processes for the acquisition of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, and will now be moving towards making the requisite payments.
Speaking during the daily COVID-19 update in Lusaka yesterday, Dr. Malama said the legal processes also set the platform for private and non-state actors who wish to acquire vaccines, as they can use the same platform.
The Permanent Secretary added that government has finalised all the administrative processes and the requisite payment for shipment has been made of the 100,000 Sinopharm doses which are expected to arrive in the country early next week or the week thereafter at the latest.
“With regard to the 120,000 doses of AstraZeneca, similarly all documentation has been submitted and now we await final communication from UNICEF and the COVAX facility on the shipment dates,” he indicated.
Dr. Malama added that government has also received the documentation for the 108,000 doses of AstraZeneca and has processed the importation permit through the Zambia Medicines and Regulatory Authority, and will keep the nation updated on the expected date of receipt.
“Countrymen and women, despite these assurances and the guidance provided with regard to ensuring that people only receive their second dose as and when it becomes due, that is 70 days from the date of their first dose, we are saddened to note reports of some individuals still insisting on receiving their second dose as early as 5 weeks after the first dose,” he noted.
Dr. Malama stated that this panic to receive the vaccine early unfortunately only places one at a disadvantage.
He explained that there is unequivocal scientific evidence showing that if a person receives the two doses less than six weeks apart, the efficacy is only around 54% as opposed to 82% if the interval is 12 weeks or more.
SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING
JUST IMAGINE IF THE LOOTING AND ENPOWERMENT FUNDS WERE DIVERTED TO SAVING LIVES
AND THE HEALTH FACILITIES HOW MUCH BETTER OFF WE WOULD BE
Let’s prioritize Johnson & Johnson which only requires one jab and has efficacy comparable to AstraZeneca.
By the way, to all upnd diasporans who have been saying that the increase in deaths is because we have failed to vaccinate people. For your information, when we procured the first batch many zambians were suspicious about the vaccines and decide to shun them. This is all because of the same f00Iish diasporans posting conspiracy theories about vaccines, which they themselves have taken there abroad. This meant that many vaccines went to waste and couldn’t be used. so upnd diasporans shut your ugly mouths before I mess your ugly faces up. You are smelly monkeys
YOU FAILED TO EDUCATE THE RURAL AND SEMI URBAN AREAS
ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VACCINES
SO STOP PLACING THE BLAME ELSEWHERE
OWN UP AND SH*0*U*T UP
One year down the line…still committed? This amount of brain power can be equated to smallest in earth. Real human beings will now be reporting results!?
But now EU is not recognizing this vaccine. What is government going to do about it? Are we going to have to be vaccinated for a third time with the Johnson vaccine ?
I SAY BACK TO IVERMECTIN
IT CERTAINLY WONT HARM YOU
If Lungu win this election I will be shocked. He really poorly managed the COVID thing. He was waiting for donors to do everything as usual. Shame. Too many deaths.