United States Hands Over Critical COVID-19 Vaccine Data Tools to Uganda’s Ministry of Health

By APN Reporter

Kampala

apearlnews.com

The United States is working hand-in-hand with the people of Uganda to help prevent, detect, and respond to COVID-19. As part of this effort, the United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has committed $3.2 million to support the Government of Uganda’s rollout of the country’s phase one COVID-19 vaccination program. The first phase of this support is the printing of critical data tools used for the documentation, reporting, and accountability of the vaccine rollout in health clinics throughout the country.   

Today at Kiswa Health Center III, USAID/Uganda Mission Director Richard Nelson handed over COVID-19 Vaccine Data Tools to the Ministry of Health. Valued at $560,000, the tools will be delivered to districts throughout Uganda via the Government of Uganda’s National Medical Stores. The data tools include approximately 4,500 field guides for health workers delivering vaccines; over 20,000 COVID-19 vaccine registers to keep a record of clients receiving the vaccine; and over 4 million immunization cards for recipients.  

“USAID’s support for Uganda’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign is part of our longstanding investment in the people of Uganda through our work with the Ministry of Health to strengthen its health information management system. The registers and reporting tools will support production of timely, accurate, and complete data for proper planning and accountability of COVID-19 vaccines given to priority target populations in phase one of Uganda’s vaccination rollout plan,” said Mission Director Nelson at the handover event. “The United States recognizes that as long as COVID-19 is spreading and generating new variants anywhere, it poses a threat to people everywhere. We are in this together,” he added.  

Beyond these COVID-19 Vaccine Data Tools, USAID support for the vaccine rollout in Uganda will include working with 72 districts under USAID’s regional integrated health projects and its maternal and child health project to integrate COVID-19 vaccines into the national immunization program. USAID will also support efforts to provide the public with timely, accurate, science-based information about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines and the vaccination process.   

In total, the United States, working through USAID, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Departments of Defense and State, has contributed more than $48.2 million in specific COVID-19 funding throughout the past year to help Uganda prevent, detect, and respond to COVID-19 in Uganda. Globally, the United States has contributed $2 billion to the COVAX Facility and has committed a further $2 billion in the effort to provide safe and effective vaccines to people around the world, including Uganda.