The first batch of 132,000 doses of the Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine arrived at the Juba International Airport on Thursday of 25th March, 2021 - Credit | UNICEF South Sudan | 25, March 2021

The government has postponed the launch of the AstraZeneca vaccine campaign.

On Sunday, the Ministry of Health announced it would kick off the drive, with the presidency first.

President Salva Kiir and his five Vice Presidents were to lead the way.

The ministry had said the initiative was intended to build confidence around the COVAX-supplied vaccines among the citizens.

It stated that the launch at the State House would also boost public trust in the treatment.

However, the manager of the Extended Programs on Immunization at the ministry said the event has been postponed until further notice.

When asked why, Georg Azania said it could be due to internal arrangements within the presidency.

“I personally do not have full information, but just that there are internal arrangements within J1,” Azania told Eye Radio.

“But we are going to have a meeting this afternoon…to know when it is going to be launched.”

The Ministry of Health is set to decide on the next course of action.

South Sudan secured the first 132,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccines that arrived in the country on Thursday.

The AstraZeneca vaccines were delivered through the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment.

It is a global initiative to support equitable access to coronavirus vaccines.

The first batch is part of the 2.4 million doses that South Sudan requested from COVAX.

The government said the first beneficiaries will be frontline health workers and elderly persons, mainly those above 60.

It will also be given to people with underlying conditions such as cancer, asthma, and heart disease, among others.