New Directives as Museveni Changes Message on Covid19 Vaccination

President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni has changed the country’s direction regarding Covid19 vaccination, setting a new target.

In his Saturday night address on the Covid19 response and security in the country on November 20, Museveni said the country would now focus on vaccinating all Ugandans above the age of 18.

These number over 20 million people.

Previously, focus was on 4.8 million people, considered most at risk, including teachers, health workers, the elderly and those with co-morbidities.

Now, the president says the country has enough vaccines to inoculate all Ugandans.

“Now that we have vaccines, the message is different. It is, all those above the age of 18 to come out and be vaccinated,” said Museveni.

“The government has been working very hard to get vaccines. As of today, we have gotten 15.5 million doses of different vaccines.”

The vaccines will now be available at sub-county level and Museveni has issued directives to Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and District Health Officers (DHOs) to use local radios to encourage people to go for vaccination.

“Each Health Centre III will have these vaccines,” announced the president in his November 20 night address.

“I direct the RDCs and DHOs to mobilise people. The target is to get every person above 18 years vaccinated. Initially, we had only the priority groups because the vaccines were not enough.”

He went on to make it clear that nobody should blame the government if they suffer adverse Covid19 effects.

Museveni also revealed that scientists were study the issues of vaccinating children and booster doses.

“We need to save money because, at some point, we shall have to vaccinate children. Other countries are vaccinating children, and we are still studying this. When we see that it is safe, we shall start vaccinating children,” he said.

He praised the measures his government previously put in place to fight Covid19.

“On account of the stringent measures we took earlier on, we have had only two waves of the virus while some countries have had even four waves. During our worst wave, 54 people were dying per day. Right now, we have an average of two people dying per day. Of course, we don’t want people to die, but that is an improvement,” noted Museveni.

“Our firm stand has not been in vain. Remember that the history of NRM is the history of freedom fighters who speak the truth and deal with reality realistically. We never sugarcoat anything or entertain cheap popularity.”

He also made it clear the economy would fully reopen in January 2022 whether some people get vaccinated or not.

Meanwhile, Museveni rejected a proposal to send health workers to villages for a door-to-door campaign, further ordering RDCs and local authorities to only ensure that only those who can’t move from their homes should be vaccinated from their homes under a special arrangement.