UGANDA – Uganda has received US$180.3 million (about UGX634 billion) additional funding from the World Bank for procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

The project, targeting 11.7 million people, will finance the deployment of the vaccines across the country to citizens and refugees free of cost in Uganda’s COVID-19 response.

Last December, World Bank approved US$180.3 million for the Uganda COVID-19 Response and Emergency Preparedness Project (UCREPP) to expand affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines including building a more resilient health system.

The original UCREPP was approved by the World Bank’s board of executive directors on July 15, 2020 and became effective on August 3, 2021.

The World Bank Group, one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, is taking broad, fast action to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response.

The Bank has been the largest financier of Covid-19 related needs in Uganda since the outbreak of the disease in the country in March 2020.

Its response is targeted in four key areas namely saving lives, protecting the poor, ensuring sustainable business growth and rebuilding better.

The financing supports vaccine acquisition and deployment, continuity of essential services affected by the pandemic and expanded coverage of interventions in Uganda. 

Ugandan Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, Health minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng and the World Bank Country Manager for Uganda Mukami Kariuki signed a financing agreement for further financing to UCREPP.

The health ministry has lately reported that a total of 15, 610, 547 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Uganda.

As of February 14, there have been 63 new cases of coronavirus with 87 active cases admitted at health facilities,” the health ministry latest update revealed.

The test positivity rate has gone down to 1.6%, with 99, 727 cumulative recoveries recorded.

Consequently, the Finance Minister assured that there would be no delays in the implementation of the financial aid.

I want to affirm that we shall fulfill our obligations under this grant,” he added during the signing that took place at the Finance Ministry’s offices in Kampala.

The financing will help Uganda acquire vaccines from a range of sources to support the country’s objective to acquire a portfolio of vaccines under the right conditions which include value-for-money, with appropriate regulatory approvals and a swift delivery time.

In more recent developments, vaccines were acquired through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility and the African Union’s Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) in partnership with the Government of Uganda to bolster its overall response to the pandemic.

The project supported the procurement of personal protective equipment, intensive care unit beds, supplies, medicines and consumables for management of COVID-19 cases and comorbidities.

Additionally, it supported training in COVID-19 critical care delivery models and home-based care.

The partnership also financed hazard allowances to eligible frontline workers and rapid response teams as well as renovating intensive care units and isolation facilities in regional referral and general hospitals including those serving host communities and refugees.

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