By OLIVER SAMBOKO
CABINET has approved the Covid-19 vaccine programme under the free Corvax facility spearheaded by UNICEF.
Health Minister, Jonas Chanda, said a Cabinet meeting that was held on Wednesday to deliberate on Zambia’s acquisition, deployment and financing of Covid-19 vaccine approved that the country should undertake the programme.
“This follows Government approval in principle to adopt a Corvax vaccine programme as one of the key pillars in mitigating the impact of Covid-19 on the health and social economic of citizens especially the vulnerable in society,” he said.
Dr Chanda said under the Corvax facility, 3, 676, 791 eligible Zambians above the age of 18 will have to be earmarked for the vaccination,.
This translates 20 percent of the 46 percent of the eligible population of 8, 438, 118.
He said health front workers, the police, security, teachers, traditional leaders, clergy, marketeers, traders, bus drivers and truck drivers will be given priority.
Dr Chanda said the remaining 26 percent eligible population will be covered under the Government-sponsored vaccination programme and other mechanisms.
He added that Government was still awaiting advice from the World Health Organisation and others on vaccination of persons below 18 years because currently, no country was vaccinating that category.
Dr Chanda said globally, the Covid -19 vaccine had been seen as a way out of the pandemic and as way to reduce further transmission of the virus.
He said government would remain open to receiving support from other countries and cooperating partners in covering the remaining population that will not be covered by the free Corvax programmr.
Meanwhile, Dr Chanda announced that the country has in the last 24 hours recorded 325 new cases out of 7, 646 tests conducted, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases recorded to date to 87, 318.
Dr Chanda said four new deaths were recorded in Lusaka and North-Western provinces, bringing the cumulative number of Covid-19 related deaths to 1, 191.
He said a combined 278 discharges were recorded from both the Covid-19 isolation facilities and home management, bringing the cumulative number of recoveries to 83, 895.
