Mozambique: Second phase of Covid-19 vaccination under way – Watch

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Mozambique: Second phase of Covid-19 vaccination under way – Watch

7:54 CAT | 19 Apr 2021

Photo: TVM

The second phase of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout under which the Mozambican health authorities plan to immunise 216,771 people across the country began on Monday and will run until the end of the month.

Authorities in Maputo city plan to vaccinate 20,497 people from several selected groups. The groups include undergraduate students on health training courses, diabetic patients left out of the first phase, patients under immunossupressant therapy, those with chronic kidney failure and undergoing haemodialysis or on the waiting list, and who are above 60 years of age.

The vaccination will also include prison inmates and staff, and police officers and primary school teachers who are over 50 years old.

Briefing reporters on Monday at the Jose Macamo General Hospital, the Maputo City Health Director, Sheila Lobo, said the health authorities have set up vaccination posts in every municipal district.

“There are 124 health workers who will be carrying out the vaccination campaign,” Lobo said, adding that on Monday morning she had visited three vaccination sites and the activity was moving ahead smoothly with a good turnout.

Between Monday and Friday, health authorities plan to vaccinate the students on health training courses and diabetic patients left out of the first phase. During the week, police officers above 50 years old will also be inoculated.

From 26-28 April, patients in the other groups targeted under the second phase will also receive the vaccine.

Questioned about the level of skepticism over the vaccine, she said the health authorities have mobilized the public through the community leaders and social networks, and have sought to portray the benefits of immunization against severe forms of the disease.

As for the frontline workers, who have already been immunised, Sheila Lobo said there has been a great reduction in new infections by Covid-19 among health staff, though she did not give statistics.