The Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) has now approved five Covid-19 vaccines for use in the country.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Kennedy Malama, said this followed stringent review processes undertaken and riding on the World Health Organization emergency use listing of the vaccines.
“Sinopharm (Vero Cells), Jansen (Johnson & Johnson), AstraZeneca Covishield, AZD 1222 5 – Korean AstraZeneca and the Pfizer Biotech,” Dr. Malama said.
He also pointed out that the Covid-19 vaccination programme remains paused until 23rd June, 2021 when those who received the first dose will start receiving the second one.
Meanwhile, Dr. Malama has disclosed that Covid-19 cases have continued to rise with the country recording 558 new cases in the last 24 hours.
The cases have more than doubled from yesterday’s 213.
Speaking during the routine Covid-19 update in Lusaka today, Dr. Malama said the country has recorded one Covid-19 death at Levy Mwanawasa isolation centre in Lusaka.
He said the cumulative number of Covid-19 related deaths recorded from March last year when the pandemic broke out in Zambia to date is now 1,282.
These are classified as 722 Covid deaths and 560 Covid-19 associated deaths. Dr. Malama said it is now clear that the third wave has broken out in Zambia. He disclosed that Zambia is among the top six countries in the region with high numbers recorded in the last 24 hours.
Dr. Malama said Lusaka province recorded 244 cases in the last 24 hours, which is the among all provinces.
“The breakdown of the new cases by province are as follows: Central 46, Copperbelt 59, Eastern 69, Luapula 11, Lusaka 244, Muchinga 2, Northern 5, North-western 10, Southern 74 and Western 38,” he said.
And Dr. Malama has said in the last 24 hours, 35 new admissions were recorded, twice the number which was recorded yesterday. He said among those presently in admission, 79 are on oxygen therapy and 12 are in a critical condition.
He however disclosed that a total of 83 discharges were made from both the Covid-19 isolation and treatment facilities and home based management, bringing the cumulative number of recoveries to 92,039.
The village is on fire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Zambia among top 6 in Africa, Hoping you are not going to overtake South Africa and became number 1 in Africa. Infections are on the increase in the country and that’s when you pause the vaccination process!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Zambia the real Africa; where our leaders think like animals……..no humility!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GREAT!!!
The word should be accepted! I do not think anyone approves medicine in Zambia! Those defective condoms, expired medicines tell their own story.
NOT SO GREAT
I will get all five…
Posing vaccination? Are you styupid? This PS should start packing for aiding PF in weaponizing covid against voters. Is the idea to close polling stations too?
Vaccinate people.
We only recieve we don’t buy so
We can approve five but we use
What we are given.
Thanks to the reckless spending by president Lungu on “empowerment” of criminal cadres, the country’s coffers are empty and we are totally dependent on gifts by friendly donor countries. Are you not ashamed Edgar China Lungu???
No corruption, you are a crazy dog. Woof woof. Do you understand me better now ?
To the mor*ons who come here to vote down sensible comments. Do you NOT see that Lungu and his band of merry nincompoops are stealing everything? They can’t pay doctors, buy essential medicines, they are defaulting on the reckless loans they took (that YOU Zambians will be paying back forever), prices/inflation are out of control, the kwacha is in free fall. Yet the same mentally challenged government are busy buying helicopters, trying to bribe people with empowerment funds, bribing politicians (with YOUR hard earned taxes) to change sides.
Are you also really this mentally challenged that can’t see the obvious? Grow brains, please.
Never ceases to amaze me, this country! Why are you pausing the vaccine program when it was supposed to be a continuous, revolving door program? Waiting for those who had a 1st shot… unbelievable!
Don’t be surprised if all these rising COVID cases are another Lungu strategy to ban the opposition from campaigning so he can continue staying in the State House unopposed. You can’t trust these mambalas… they use the police; the ECZ; the ConCourt so why wouldn’t they use COVID to advantage themselves?
And hat Chinese vaccine though… careful.
@Sarah shut your smelly mouth you silly woman
Dear Kaizar, truth hurt, imbecile?
Do not worry about KZ, he is a civil servant and illegally earning a salary. His only work is insult UPND and other tribes as if them do not pay tax. The system is so broken that rebuilding will require closing some sections of civil service to allow training and hiring sensible people.
Who knew Animal Farm will manifest in Zambia so early!!!