Rollout Of Covid-19 Vaccination Programme Speeds Up

Source: Vientiane Times

People in Vientiane and some provinces have now had their first and second doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

More people have been going to vaccination centres around the country for vaccinations since the programme was launched in March.

The government plans to vaccinate at least 150,000 people in the initial stages of the programme.

Vaccinations were offered on April 2-3 at Mittaphap Hospital as well as at other hospitals in Vientiane and it is now thought that 6,171 people have been vaccinated. On Monday about 3,000 people received vaccinations around the country.

Director General of the Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion under the Ministry of Health, Dr Phonepaseuth Ounaphom, told reporters that the programme was making good progress.

The vaccination drive is part of Covid-19 prevention and control plans which health authorities are going all out to implement in a bid to keep the virus in check.

The vaccination programme has now been expanded to cover more target groups in addition to health workers.

As of April 4, some 103,000 people in at-risk groups had received their first vaccination and as of April 20, some 130,000 people in at-risk groups had received their first vaccination, while 42,674 people have had their second dose, according to the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.

People can register online for vaccinations at health centres in their districts.

Dr Phonepaseuth advised people not to worry about getting the vaccine because there were about 1 million doses in stock.
In addition to cooperation with the COVAX Facility in the fight against Covid-19, China has promised to give priority to providing Covid-19 vaccines.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF have provided technical assistance to develop the national deployment and vaccination plan for Covid-19 vaccines to improve system preparedness and readiness to administer the vaccines.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the United Nations has redesigned the Sexual and Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health Services programme to continue providing essential health services during the pandemic with particular engagement by UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF, and UNAIDS.

An earlier report stated that about 22 percent of the population, or about 1.6 million people, will be vaccinated this year.
Vaccination coverage is expected to rise to 70 percent of the population by 2022 with more people to be vaccinated in the following year.