Health Ministry: Four COVID-19 vaccines now available in Sudan

The Director of the Immunisation Department of Sudan’s Ministry of Health, Ismail El Adani, says that arrangements have been made to receive and facilitate storage doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with the installation of refrigerators that can keep the vaccine at the required minus 70 to minus 80 degrees Celsius.

El Adani said during the weekly briefing on Tuesday that the ministry has provided five refrigerators to store the Pfizer vaccine, which is now at the site of UNICEF for preparation. He indicated that the country will have four options for COVID-19 vaccines, namely Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm

El Adani pointed out that “vaccination against COVID-19 has become an international requirement. All countries are now asking that inbound travellers for proof of vaccination with one of the vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Director of the Immunisation Department assured the Sudanese public that all vaccines used in Sudan are approved by the WHO. “The arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine shipment last week, estimated at 357,000 doses, as well as the second campaign, estimated at 218,000, will cover all people in the country eligible for the second dose,” and added, “The second stage is the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.”

El Adani said that the choice of this vaccine will be available to all Sudanese by early October. He said that more than 120,000 people have been vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in all states for the targeted groups.

The ministry has reached out to the vaccine donor platforms such as the COVAX facility, embassies, and donor countries, and the ministry was able to secure a number of vaccines that will come successively, and pointed to the expectation of the arrival of more than five million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

He explained that the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine is more desirable for groups and students who travel to China or countries that request this vaccine.

“The main objective of the immunisation programme is for all people in Sudan to receive the vaccine in order to protect them and prevent them from being admitted to hospitals.

In the latest official figures, the Ministry of Health reports two deaths and 15 confirmed cases of coronavirus. The ministry said in its epidemiological report that Northern State recorded the largest number of injuries, with nine cases. Of the total cases, there are eight confirmed cases of travellers or visitors, four cases in Khartoum, and four in Northern State. Two COVID-19 patients died in West Kordofan and North Kordofan.

The report indicated that the active cases so far amounted to 61 cases, and 3,145 cases are under review.