Museveni and a few people who operate near him were beneficiaries of a Chinese vaccine against COVID-19 distributed by Sinopharm.
The Ministry of Health has rubbished claims making rounds on social media that President Yoweri Museveni Tibuhaburwa has already been vaccinated for the COVID-19.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Museveni and a few people who operate near him were beneficiaries of a Chinese vaccine against COVID-19 distributed by Sinopharm.
The report which has since welcomed criticism from many Ugandans claims that Museveni together with leaders from Peru, world lobbyists, consultants, and cabinet ministers got the jabs ahead of essential groups, despite the drug still being under trial.
To beef up on this state, also a picture of Museveni during his meeting with Chinese representatives showed the president interacting freely without wearing a mask.
Under the same post, many Ugandans were quoted saying that the president might have been vaccinated for the virus because it is rare since the outbreak of the pandemic to see him when he is not wearing a mask or holding it.
However, while addressing journalists at the ministry of health headquarters in Nakasero yesterday, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng rubbished all these allegations inducting that the media is spreading false information to mislead the public.
“Media houses are spreading false information with the potential of misleading the public. The president has not received the jab from the Chinese state-owned drug maker Sinopharm. The National Drug Authority has not cleared any vaccine since none has arrived in the country,” Aceng indicated.
In addition, she said that the Ministry has already issued a request for the vaccine and once they finalise with acquiring, the public will be made aware of how to acquire it.
Aceng noted that initially the government had applied for 18 million doses but more vaccines are expected to come from donors.
“We as the ministry were initially targeting 18 million doses but we can even get more from many sources including donations and others paid for by the government,” Aceng said.
“The vaccines vary depending on the type but costs will be known when procurement takes place. She said the Chines vaccine costs about $44 (sh161,488) per dose,” she added noting that government has the capacity to store vaccines at the required temperatures, given the experience they have had on other vaccination programmes.
