Rwanda launches COVID-19 vaccination

By Xinhua

Rwanda has started vaccinating high-risk groups against COVID-19 nationwide, notably frontline healthcare staff, with limited vaccine doses acquired through international cooperation, said the Health Ministry on Sunday.

It is the initial phase of COVID-19 immunization in Rwanda and will be followed by a wider roll-out later this month with supplies expected from COVAX and the African Union’s Africa Medical Supplies Platform, it tweeted.According to the ministry, the central African country’s COVID-19 vaccination plan is ready, with infrastructure, protocols and personnel all in place.

As of Sunday, Rwanda has recorded a total of 17,343 cases with 14,792 recoveries and 239 deaths.The Rwandan government plans to inoculate at least 60 percent of its population in two years, or some 8 million people, to achieve herd immunity against the virus in the country, said Tharcisse Mpunga, minister of state in charge of primary healthcare in the health ministry.The government is also trying to acquire more vaccines for the whole population, Mpunga said.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna