KAMPALA-UGANDA/NEWSDAY: In what has seemed to be dumping, the Norwegian government Saturday delivered a consignment of 286,080 dozes of the controversial Astra Zenac vaccines to Uganda, only two months after it was banned in their own country.
The vaccines were received by the minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng flanked by officials of the Norwegian embassy at Entebe International Airport.
Aceng whose ministry has failed to secure vaccines lauded the donation with a smiling noting ” the donation was a big step forward int the fight against covid19″
The Chief Of Mission in Uganda for Norway, Arne Haug saluted Uganda for handling the coronavirus with precision promising ” we will continue navigating the pandemic so that we can emerge stronger. Partnerships like the one between Norway and Uganda are important,” he said.
AstraZeneca banned in Norway.
In May in an article published by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Astra Zenac was banned for innoculations against covid19 in their country.
“We now know significantly more about the association between the AstraZeneca vaccine and the rare but severe incidents with low platelet counts, blood clots and haemorrhages, than when Norway decided to pause use of the AstraZeneca-vaccine in March,” said Geir Bukholm, Director of the Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
“Based on this knowledge, we come with a recommendation to remove the AstraZeneca vaccine from the Coronavirus Immunisation Programme in Norway,” said Bukholm.
Higher risk associated with AstraZeneca vaccine than from COVID-19 disease in Norway, weighed more than forfeiting its use.”Calculations have been performed based on Norwegian data where the risk of dying from COVID-19 disease among the different age groups is compared with the risk of dying from the severe, but rare, condition with severe blood clots observed after AstraZeneca vaccination.
“Since there are few people who die from COVID-19 in Norway, the risk of dying after vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine would be higher than the risk of dying from the disease, particularly for younger people,” said Bukholm.
Following the research by scientists, the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said in May, “The government has decided that the AstraZeneca vaccine will not be used in Norway, not even voluntarily.”
Uganda has failed to purchase drugs
Regardless of the fact that government has borrowed billions of money, it has never purchased a single vaccine but has entiretry depended on donations from India, Covax, France, China and now Norway.
But regardless of this, President Museveni insists the country will reopen full after vaccination of 21 million Ugandans. As a result of Lockdown, the education system and economy have collapsed.
Trillions used in the name of Covid19
During the first lockdown, Ugandans mobilised billions of shillings and the money is said to have been used to purchase 281 double cabins. These have since been confiscated by the Uganda Revenue Authority for lack of Shs. 7bn to clear taxes.
Money meant for setting up oxygen plants in government hospitals was swindled and now UNICEF has pledged to set up oxygen plants in four regions in Uganda.
However, the World Bank he’s provided a loan of $300m to fight covid while the IMF approved a loan of Ush 3.5trn; the African Devt Fund approved a loan of $31.6m to fight covid and government has locally borrowed billions of money.
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