FILE: President Salva Kiir

President Salva Kiir has given permission to the Ministry of Health and the National Taskforce to go ahead with plans for official launch of the coronavirus vaccine.

This is after a team of medical doctors made a presentation on AstraZeneca Vaccine to President Kiir and Members of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity yesterday.

The presentation was made at the State House (J1) for the officials to further deliberate on the efficacy of the vaccine before the official launch of the vaccination process across the Country.

The First doses of the 132,000 AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in South Sudan last week.

The Ministry of Health earlier announced it would start rolling the jabs within the Presidency.

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

However, on Monday, the Manager of the Extended Programs on Immunization in the ministry of health said the event has been postponed until further notice.

Nonetheless, yesterday president Kiir gave a green light to the Ministry of Health and the National Taskforce on COVID19 to proceed with planning the official launch of the vaccine.

President Kiir conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, relatives and friends of those who succumbed to the virus.

He reiterated that coronavirus is real and it is important that citizens take the vaccine to protect themselves and their loved one from the virus.

“We are here for a very important topic, we have to accept the presence of coronavirus with us in South Sudan, and you have seen it has taken our very important people, my condolences for those who lost their loved one,” President Kiir said.

“As you have heard what was said by one of our colleagues that let us accept the vaccine then we go in for it.”

Kiir was speaking of the state run television SSBC last evening.