Mogadishu (SONNA)-The Federal Government of Somalia, through COVAX, is planning to rollout COVID-19 vaccines throughout the nation. The vaccines are to arrive in the country through phases with the first shipment expected to arrive during this month, February 2021.
The plan is to vaccinate the Somali population against COVID-19 in phases, starting with the following target population:
1. Front line and essential workers: Public and private sector health workers, both facility and community based, workers at points of entry, Police, Teachers as well as Municipal staff performing their daily duties in direct contact with the population
2. Seniors (population aged 50 years and above):
3. Populations with a significantly elevated risk of severe disease and People with co-morbidities.
The first vaccine allocation for Somalia will come in the form of 1,224,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine. This vaccine can be stored at temperatures between two and eight centigrade Celsius (2-8 C°) which is conducive to the existing national cold chain infrastructures. The Ministry of health, in close partnership with WHO, UNICEF, and other health partners, will roll out the COVID19 vaccination as soon as the first shipment arrives.
Somalia’s phased and prioritized vaccination strategy, developed with our partners will enable frontline workers and at-risk populations to receive the vaccine first with the total priority target population estimated to just be over 3 million. While the priority target population is specific for COVID-19, Somalia will draw on its long experience in conducting successful national polio vaccination campaigns.
The National Taskforce for the introduction of COVID-19 Vaccine in Somalia, established in November 2020, has paved the way for the establishment of an interim national regulatory authority to oversee the regulation of vaccine use, vaccine efficacy, and safety.
Beyond the first phase of vaccinations, Somalia has thus far secured resources enough to vaccinate 20% of our population which will cover the most vulnerable population groups as described above. Furthermore, the Government is looking into ways to finance the remaining population.
