Vaccine uptake improves in Namibia

WINDHOEK, June 23 — Ministry of Health and Social Services executive director Ben Nangombe said in an interview with Xinhua that Namibians have drastically improved their uptake for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Nangombe said on Tuesday that more than 104,199 vaccines have so far been administered.
“So far we are impressed with the efficacy of the vaccines that have been taken up. Our study shows that Namibians are comfortable with both Sinopharm and AstraZeneca which we are currently administering.”
“We are expecting a new consignment from China after we sealed an agreement with the manufacturer of Sinopharm. We are also expecting another consignment of Johnson & Johnson from the African Union initiative and we have also completed negotiations with the Sputnik manufacturers,” he said.
Nangombe said they have so far been accessing Sinopharm and AstraZeneca vaccines at reasonable prices through bilateral engagements as well as partnerships with the COVAX facility.
An epidemiologist within the Namibian case management unit, Theo Ben Kandetu, said vaccines have proven to be the best way to reduce the spread of the pandemic.