Uganda on Saturday received a donation of 286,080 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from the Norwegian Government to support the vaccination exercise.
“We received a donation of 286,080 doses of AstraZeneca from the Government of Norway and 300,000 of the Sinovac vaccine from the People’s Republic of China. Government’s strategy is mass vaccination of the eligible population (22 million representing 49.8%) as a means of optimal control of the pandemic and full opening up of the economy. This supplements the initial 1,139,200 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine that Uganda received in March and June 2021,” the Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng said
However, Norway suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout on March 11 after a small number of youths people suffered a combination of blood clots, bleeding and a low platelet count after being immunized.
Norway reported five cases in which healthy recipients of the vaccine were admitted to hospital with a combination of blood clots, bleedingsand low platelets, three of whom have died.
Local health authorities think the individuals developed antibodies in an immune response, which stimulated blood platelets that in turn created blood clots, and later, lowered platelet counts
Norway is one of over a dozen European countries that have suspended the rollout of the AstraZenenca vaccine, although most have since resumed its use on the advice of the European Medicines Agency (EMA)
Norway, which obtains its vaccines through cooperation with the European Union, even though it is not a member, is now considering returning its remaining AstraZeneca doses to the EU countries so it can be supplied to others that need it through the international Covax programme.
"It is an effective vaccine that is used in many countries, so we want to make sure that Norway's doses are useful to other countries that may be in a worse health situation than ours," Health Minister Bent Hoie said.
In Uganda, no such cases of blood clots have been reported among 902,992 recipients of the first dose and the 240,771 recipients of the second dose of the vaccine. However more report mild side effects such as fever and headache that last less than 72 hours, according to the Health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng
The European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization both recommend continued use of the vaccines, arguing that the benefits far outweigh the associated risks.
Most European countries that continue to use the AstraZeneca vaccine have reserved it for older people.
Uganda on Saturday received a donation of 286,080 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from the Norwegian Government to support the vaccination exercise.
“We received a donation of 286,080 doses of AstraZeneca from the Government of Norway and 300,000 of the Sinovac vaccine from the People’s Republic of China. Government’s strategy is mass vaccination of the eligible population (22 million representing 49.8%) as a means of optimal control of the pandemic and full opening up of the economy. This supplements the initial 1,139,200 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine that Uganda received in March and June 2021,” the Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng said
However, Norway suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout on March 11 after a small number of youths people suffered a combination of blood clots, bleeding and a low platelet count after being immunized.
Norway reported five cases in which healthy recipients of the vaccine were admitted to hospital with a combination of blood clots, bleedingsand low platelets, three of whom have died.
Local health authorities think the individuals developed antibodies in an immune response, which stimulated blood platelets that in turn created blood clots, and later, lowered platelet counts
Norway is one of over a dozen European countries that have suspended the rollout of the AstraZenenca vaccine, although most have since resumed its use on the advice of the European Medicines Agency (EMA)
Norway, which obtains its vaccines through cooperation with the European Union, even though it is not a member, is now considering returning its remaining AstraZeneca doses to the EU countries so it can be supplied to others that need it through the international Covax programme.
"It is an effective vaccine that is used in many countries, so we want to make sure that Norway's doses are useful to other countries that may be in a worse health situation than ours," Health Minister Bent Hoie said.
In Uganda, no such cases of blood clots have been reported among 902,992 recipients of the first dose and the 240,771 recipients of the second dose of the vaccine. However more report mild side effects such as fever and headache that last less than 72 hours, according to the Health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng
The European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization both recommend continued use of the vaccines, arguing that the benefits far outweigh the associated risks.
Most European countries that continue to use the AstraZeneca vaccine have reserved it for older people.