Former President Joyce Banda and former First Gentleman Richard Banda today received the Covid-19 vaccine in Zomba.
Banda who ruled Malawi for two years from 2012 to 2014 was the only former president of Malawi who got vaccinated today following the launch of the vaccination programme.
She was vaccinated shortly after President Lazarus Chakwera and First Lady Monica Chakwera at Zomba Field Hospital.
According to Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, Chakwera informed all former president including Bakili Muluzi and Peter Mutharika about the arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine and he invited them to get the jab but only Banda was present at the launch.
Other individuals vaccinated today include Vice President Saulos Chilima, Bishop Thoma Luke Msusa of the Catholic Church and Inkosi ya Makosi M’mbelwa.
The vaccination programme has been launched days after Malawi received 360,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine Covid-19 vaccine via the COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO.
Malawi has recorded a total of 32,614 cases including 1,077 deaths and 24,381.
