By Stuart Bogere

KIU, Main Campus - The long awaited COVID-19 vaccination has began today, with health workers at Mulago National and Entebbe Regional Referral hospitals.

The Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Ruth Aceng, says the two hospitals were chosen because they treated the highest number of COVID-19 patients.

Among priority recipients of the jab will be health workers employed at public hospitals followed by those in private not-for-profit and their counterparts working for profit private health facilities. Media practitioners aged 50 years and above will also be vaccinated.

According to the Ministry Spokesperson Emmanuel Ainebyoona, those without National Identification cards and those who are unregistered citizens are to report with guarantors’ IDs (preferably the next of kin, Local Council 1 or VHT), whose mobile phone contacts are available.

The plan by the ministry is to make an online database linked to and matched with NIRA. Ainebyoona gives assurance that selection of persons for vaccination is based on fairness and equity and not necessarily money.

The ministry says this vaccination exercise is very important and certificates may be needed for travel abroad.

About 150,000 health workers will be vaccinated for six days from today, while teachers and lecturers will be vaccinated from 16th to 19th March 2021.