Ethiopia on Monday announced the launching of a vaccination exercise targeting refugees against COVID-19 in one of the camps in the west of the country.
Ethiopia’s Agency for Refugees and Returnees Affairs said the vaccination started in refugee camps in Gambella Region.
The agency said close to 800 refugees have so far received the shots.
As part of its longstanding tradition of kindness to those who are in need, Ethiopia has been vaccinating refugees and health professionals in the frontline, the agency noted.
The vaccination is being delivered in collaboration with Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), regional governments, regional Health Offices, UNHCR, WHO, Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Agency and Refugee Committees.
The plan is to provide the second dose of the vaccine in three months.
In the second phases, vulnerable groups will be included as per the national strategy directed by the Federal Ministry of Health, the agency indicated.
Ethiopia is working to provide refugees with equitable access of Covid-19 vaccination with the limited resources it is receiving from the international community, according to the agency.
Ethiopia hosts more than 800,000 refugees mainly from Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia.
MG/as/APA