The Forum for Democratic Change(FDC) has tasked the government to expedite a vaccination plan ahead of the 3 million vaccines expected in September.
Speaking to the media during a press conference, FDC spokesperson, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said that the government has struggled to dispense the few vaccines that have since been donated to Uganda and without a proper vaccination plan, the awaited vaccines may go to waste.
“FDC welcomes the news of the vaccines that we are told will begin arriving in the country next month (Nine million dozes of Johnson and Johnson, 18 million Chinese Sinopharm and 18 million of unnamed type from Covax” he said.
“Knowing this NRM government, vaccines are likely to arrive in the country when there is no vaccination plan. You will then hear them fidgit with transportation and storage. We demand for a vaccination plan before the arrival of the first batch. Remember, it took us more than six month to administer one million dozes that were donated to the country,” he added.
Ssemujju noted that as FDC ,they want the country fully re-opened during this period when the second wave is terminating.
He stated that this will allow everybody including school children cover lost ground.
“Children should be facilitated to quickly sit for promotional exams and sent back home before the third wave. Places of worship should re-open because they will be closed when the third wave struck,” said Ssemujju.
He also demanded a list of those who will be vaccinated using the first batch and places where this vaccination will take place.
“If we must recruit additional health workers, let us do it now. We may also need to sign a memorandum of understanding with private health providers because we will certainly need their services when the vaccines arrive,” he said.
He suggested that teachers and students should be vaccinated from their schools ahead of planned reopening.
“Should we be required to feed people again during the third wave? let us transparently develop a national list of vulnerable people. We should know in advance the amount of money we will require to feed people incase of a third wave,” he said.