China-donated COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Uganda

A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by China to Uganda arrived in the African country on July 31.

Chinese Ambassador to Uganda Zhang Lizhong, Ugandan Health Minister Ruth Aceng and UNICEF Representative in Uganda Munir Safieldin attended the vaccine handover ceremony.

Zhang said that in the anti-pandemic fight, the people of China and Uganda have shown mutual solidarity and support, and China will as always stand firmly with and support Uganda.

Zhang said he hopes that the vaccine from China can play a role in boosting vaccination among the Ugandan people and curbing the spread of COVID-19. The international community can overcome this pandemic only if it works together. China will join the Ugandan side in resolutely opposing politicizing the pandemic and using it to engage in stigmatization.

Aceng expressed gratitude for China's continuous support for developing countries in their fight against the pandemic. She said that for a long time, China has provided strong support and assistance to Uganda in various fields, especially in the field of health.

She said that since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has taken the lead in providing assistance, and the Chinese government has repeatedly provided anti-pandemic assistance to Uganda, which has played an important role in the effective fight against the pandemic in the country.

This shipment of vaccine from China will effectively fill the vaccine supply gap and help Uganda vaccinate eligible people. Uganda looks forward to taking the vaccine cooperation as a new starting point to promote the deepening development of the Uganda-China comprehensive partnership and to jointly build a closer Uganda-China community with a shared future and a Uganda-China community of health that will benefit the two countries and their people.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni thanked China for donating COVID-19 vaccine to his country during his speech on national pandemic prevention and control on July 30.