By Adama Makasuba
Top official of the Ministry of Health has said priority will be given to health workers and elderly people once the World Health Organisation-backed Covax vaccine arrives in the country – and the vaccination of the public will follow.
Last month, the Minister of Health Dr Ahmed Lamin Samateh told lawmakers that his Ministry has ordered for 20 percent of the vaccine – and said the government is trying to get 60 more percent to vaccine the rest of the population.
“The vaccines are two methods, we are going to get 20% of what we need from Covax and this will not be enough – so that one, we are going to give it to the health workers and the elderly people,” Dr Mustapha Bittaye, director of health services said.
Meanwhile, Dr Bittaye added: “But after that the government is trying to buy through the AU the rest of the vaccine for the 60% of the population. The vaccine is coming, although there is an order, we are going to give to the health workers first.”
He dismissed what he called conspiracy theories circulating about the coronavirus vaccine – and urged the public to get vaccinated once the vaccines arrive.
“We have been hearing lot of stories and different explanation –they are very good and they have been tested and they are being used by other countries. We will not even have enough at the beginning,” he said.
The Gambia is expected to receive its first batch of the coronavirus vaccines in April. At least 135 died of coronavirus since March 2020, and infected 4,302.
