MInister of Health, Elizabeth Achuei, gets vaccinated against Coronavirus on April 6, 2021 | Credit | Eye Radio

The World Health Organization has urged South Sudan to ensure at least 10 percent of the population is vaccinated against coronavirus by September 2021.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, South Sudan has an estimated 13 million people.

But the Ministry of Health says only about 50,000 people have so far received their AstraZeneca jabs.

This is less than one percent of the appeal made by the W.H.O.

It requires South Sudan to vaccinate 1.3 million in the next two months, despite the unwillingness of the majority of the population to take the jab.

“I have called repeatedly for ten percent of people in all countries to be vaccinated by September and for that figure to rise to 40 percent by the end of the year,” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general.

South Sudan’s Ministry of Health has often said the uptake of the coronavirus vaccines is too low – coupled with logistical challenges in rolling out the vaccination exercise.

In April, the government sidelined over 60,000 coronavirus vaccines donated by the African Union and the telecommunication company, MTN over expiry date concerns.

It also gave out 52,000 dosses to Kenya due to expiration concerns.