NAMIBIANS can expect the first doses of the novel coronavirus vaccine to arrive by the end of the month or the first few days of February.
According to the
Health minister Kalumbi Shangula yesterday said
The first payment is for
"The government has also signed a Financial Commitment Agreement on
Between 60% and 80% of the population needs to be vaccinated to achieve a sufficient level of herd immunity.
In line with this,
The vaccine will be prioritised for frontline healthcare workers and vulnerable groups.
Meanwhile, the
However, Shangula revealed that inventory of cold chain equipment for storage and distribution of the vaccine is almost complete, but additional equipment for vaccines that require extreme cold temperatures may be required.
GOVERNMENT ENGAGES MEDICAL AIDS
Shangula and finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi will meet with the
"The idea of this discussion is really to say that each Namibian, being an individual, being corporate and being any specific industry player in the medical sector, needs to make a contribution to combating the pandemic," Shiimi said.
Both ministers yesterday met with the regulators of the medical aid industry, namely
Shangula yesterday called on the medical aid industry to support beneficiaries of their medical aid schemes to access the vaccine.
"Additional resources need to be secured for the acquisition of additional doses to vaccinate at least up to 60% of the population in order to achieve a desirable level of herd immunity," Shangula said, adding that the Ministry of Finance, in conjunction with Namfisa and Namaf, are exploring avenues to fund the vaccine. "We will provide additional details in the coming days," he said.
Furthermore, the chief executive officer of Namaf, Stephen Tjiuoro, said boards of trustees of the individual medical aid funds are yet to meet to discuss the possible procuring of vaccines.
"The conversation just started last week and trustees are not back yet, so we need to meet to discuss," Tjiuoro said.
"I am sure that they will show willingness to the government because medical aid funds are there to provide healthcare in times like these," he added.
Tjiuoro believes that the government must guide the industry in this process.
Private medical aid funds in
PHARMACEUTICAL COUNCIL BACKS GOVT
The government is pursuing vaccine acquisition through the Covax facility, which caters to poor-to-middle-income countries.
"They make sure the vaccine is coordinated in the national interest by the national health authority and will be given to the most vulnerable people... At this stage it makes sense for the process to go through the government," Ritter said.
He said international vaccine-producing companies may not want to negotiate with individual companies regarding the vaccine and would first opt to deal with different governments.
"For logistics purposes, these companies cannot entertain individual requests. They simply do not entertain that and it is understandable. The big outcry is the first round of supply which is limited, but as research continues, different vaccines may be available with time," he added.
Meanwhile, the South African civil society group, AfriForum, and Trade Union Solidarity are taking legal action against that country's government's decision to buy and distribute Covid-19 vaccines.
This comes after
Ritter said at this stage, worldwide, the vaccine is limited due to research coming up now.
Copyright The Namibian. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)., source