Malawi has paused its vaccination program as COVID-19 vaccine doses that the country received have been exhausted.
Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda has confirmed saying the program will resume after another consignment of the vaccine arrives in the country in July 2021.
Over the past 24 hours, six people received the first dose and ten received the second dose across the country.
“For those that were due for the second dose and did not manage to get it, there is no need to worry as the vaccine is still effective when the second dose is given after 12 weeks. It is important that those that have been vaccinated must continue to adhere to the other measures,” said Chiponda.
Malawi expected to receive 900,000 doses in May but the main manufacturer and a supplier in India was affected by the third wave of Coronavirus. The consignment is now expected to arrive in July.
The country started its vaccination programme in March after receiving about 510,000 doses. Over 16,000 expired doses were destroyed in April.
Cumulatively, 385,242 and 43,165 people have received the first dose and second dose respectively. A total of 428,407 vaccine doses has been administered in the country so far.
The lack of vaccine comes as Malawi has seen an increase in new daily cases. In the past 24 hours, Malawi has registered 80 new Covid-19 cases, 44 new recoveries and five new deaths.
Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 35,709 cases including 1,187 deaths and 33,075 recoveries.
