vaccination - The African Mirror

Apr

2023

Bridging the Vaccine Gap in Nigeria With AI

MARIAM Haruna has been struggling to keep up with her six-month-old baby's vaccination appointments at the Family Support Clinic in Odaki, Kogi State, Nigeria. She lives about one hour from the clinic and usually covers the distance on foot, except on a few occasions when a male relative drops her off. When her child is due to receive a vaccine, the vaccination officer contacts her on the phone. All too often, she cannot get to the clinic. Vaccination Coverage in Nigeria Nigeria's 2021 National Immunisation Coverage Survey Report, published by UNICEF, reveals that only 36% of children between the ages…

Jun

2022

By ALEXANDER WINNING and ANAIT MIRIDZHANIAN

South Africa repeals COVID rules as fifth wave fades

COVID-19

ALEXANDER WINNING and ANAIT MIRIDZHANIAN SOUTH AFRICA has repealed COVID-19 rules that made masks mandatory in indoor public spaces, limited the size of gatherings and imposed entry requirements at its borders, the health minister said on Thursday. South Africa has recorded the most coronavirus cases and deaths on the African continent, with over 3.9 million confirmed infections and more than 101,000 deaths. Minister Joe Phaahla said authorities had noted a decline in cases, hospitalisations and reported deaths and concluded that a limited fifth wave was dissipating. "The COVID-19 virus is not yet gone, ... we are just stronger than before…

Mar

2022

By The African Mirror

SA lifts curbs, cautions Covid-19 is not over

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER BUOYED by low infection rates and better management of the pandemic, South Africa has announced the end of the state of disaster and a significant relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions on social and economic activity. SA President Cyril Ramaphosa said the state of disaster, which was imposed with the onset of COVID-19, would be replaced by health regulations designed to help South Africans live with the pandemic. Ramaphosa announced the following changes: Masks should only be worn indoors. In office, shops and public transport.Both indoor and outdoor venues can now take up to 50 percent of their capacity…

Jul

2021

By The African Mirror

SA’s 18-35 year-olds to get vaccine

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER AFTER a slow start, South Africa has made strides in its COVID-19 vaccination programme, notching the 6.3-million vaccinations, and has plans to radically improve the numbers, the country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced. In a special address to the nation, Ramaphosa also announced that South Africans between the ages of 18 and 35 will soon be able to register for vaccinations. Ramaphosa said: “As we have always said, our most effective weapon in the fight against COVID-19 is an effective and comprehensive vaccination programme. In the last few weeks, our vaccination campaign has made huge strides. We…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Nigeria to reopen vaccination

COVID-19

NIGERIA is expecting a second shipment of nearly 4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines by early August and plans to resume giving out first doses, which had been halted to save its supply for second doses. Africa's most population has so far given a first dose to only around 2 million of its 200 million people. Fewer than 700,000 having received a second dose. Nigeria has been rationing 3.92 million doses it received through the COVAX global vaccine sharing programme in March, with its future supplies put in doubt by an export ban from India. In April, the government told…

Jan

2021

By The African Mirror

Algeria to start COVID-19 vaccinations on Saturday

COVID-19

ALGERIA will receive its first shipment of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine today and plans to start its vaccination campaign tomorrow, according to Communication Minister Ammar Belhimer. The vaccine will be given first to healthcare workers, the elderly and people with chronic diseases, state media cited him as saying, without giving details on the number of doses. "More shipments will arrive from China, India and other countries," he said on Thursday. The North African country has 106,610 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 2,881 deaths.