The ministry of health has announced that it will issue vaccination certificates to all persons that are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The certificate will be printed out and will have several security features on top and inside to stop forgeries. They will also have the holder’s identification information such as their National Identification Number-NIN that was used while registering for vaccination.
According to health ministry officials, this comes following the high number of fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates presented at different points of entry. The certificates will have security seals that are supposed to stop forgeries.
The programme manager of the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunization, Dr. Alfred Driwale says the certificates will help stop the forgery of vaccination cards that are currently being seen. He says Uganda needs a certificate that it can defend internationally.
Internationally, no vaccination certificates for COVID-19 have been made. According to the World Health Organisation, the certificates pose a threat to international travel, as they can be used to deny entry into countries. However, countries such as Uganda are using proof of full vaccination to allow entry of persons into the country.
Persons who present proof of being vaccinated and come from a country that has vaccinated at least 50 percent of their population are exempted from carrying out a PCR COVID-19 test on arrival into the country. The test costs USD 65.
Dr. Driwale says the certificates will be issued once someone has received two doses of the vaccine. To date, over 41,000 Ugandans have received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Dr. Driwale says these persons will be issued with the certificates once they present ministry of health cards that they were issued with at vaccination.
He however did not reveal how much it will cost to print the cards and where they will be issued.
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