On Wednesday, the 10th March King Letsie III has launched vaccination for Covid-19 in Lesotho. This event was held at Scott Hospital, Morija. This followed after the country received 36 000 dozens of Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine which is manufactured in India. Lesotho is targeting to vaccinate 1 415 115 people above the age of 16 years, which is 66% of the population. The country will access vaccines to cover 20% of the population through COVAX facility and will cover 430 115 of the population. COVAX is co-led by the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the World Health Organization. It aims to accelerate the development and production of COVID-19 vaccines and guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world. The next batch of vaccination is expected to cover 40% of the population, which is approximately 860 230 people. The country will procure the vaccine for 6% remaining population.
The vaccination will be administered in 3 phases as follows: PHASE 1 Phase 1 (A): Target 64 518 people and will cover the health workers, port of entry officials and people with co-morbidities (Active Tuberculosis, Cardiovascular disease and type1 diabetes).
Phase 1 (B): Target 365 597 people and will cover people with co-morbidities (People with HIV – stage 3 and 4, Asthma, Type 2 diabetes, patients aged 39 to 59 years) and elderly people from the age of 60 and above
PHASE 2 Targeted population is 394 000 people for phase 2 and will cover people with co-morbidities (stage 2 hypertension, Type 2 diabetes aged 18 to 38 years), clothing and textile factory workers, employees in the mining sector, law enforcement officials (Police and Military), Correctional services officials and prisoners, teachers and students (Primary, Secondary and tertiary students aged 16 of age and above) and Front desk Home Affairs (Passport offices, ID and birth certificate Officials and Traffic Officials.
PHASE 3 Phase 3 will include all people 16 years and above who were not included in phase1 and 2. Priority will first be given to those that are in stage 1 hypertension (pre-hypertensive).
