We were overwhelmed by the positive reception of the population to our vaccination drive that was launched on November 4th & 5th. Through the “Play Your Part” Vaccination campaign, we have alongside the Ministry of Health – Uganda, Uganda National Police, Covid Task Forces in all the districts/cities, distribution and commercial partners successfully inoculated over 14,404 lives across Uganda in 21 districts in two days, surpassing our target of 10,000 by 40 %. Impacted were; Arua, Gulu, Lira, Nebbi, Moroto, Soroti, Tororo, Mbale, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Kabale, Mukono, Buikwe, Kampala, Jinja, Masaka, Hoima, Mityana, Kampala, Mbarara and Mubende.
“At NBL, we believe in safety first and are committed to safeguarding the health of our employees, customers and communities; as we entered this year we made a conscious decision to be bold in the actions towards a better world and to lead the private sector in being part of the solution during the pandemic,” says David Daniel Valencia, Country Director NBL. Uganda’s beer market leader, launched a simultaneous COVID-19 vaccination drive to support the Ministry of Health by setting up walk-in vaccination centres at 21 of its distribution sites across the country.
The launch was flagged off at Kasanga in Kampala at a ceremony presided by the Minister of State for Health Primary Healthcare, Hon Margaret Muhanga. It was significantly symbolized by a vaccination of 2 residents of Makindye division by Dr Daniel Kyabayinza, the National Vaccination Coordinator, Incident Commander, Ministry of Health. “We thank Nile Breweries for consistently supporting the Ministry of Health in its anti-Covid-19 efforts. We need to use such drives to reach to every area so that especially old people are vaccinated so that we can reach target of 4.8M so government can open the economy in January,” said Hon Muhanga.
According to Onapito Ekomoloit, Legal & Corporate Director Nile Breweries, the onus is on us as Ugandans to work together to beat Covid 19. “We are saying, play your part, get vaccinated, because only if we each deliberately put in this effort will be able to have our economy open,” he said. NBL previously donated 300 oxygen cylinders for use in COVID critical-care wards, 25,000kg of maize meal to those threatened by food insecurity during the first lockdown, 2,400 litres of fuel to COVID Task Forces, and medical equipment valued at Shs60 million for Mulago Hospital Intensive Care Unit to assist in the fight against the pandemic. To crown the vaccination exercise, the public at all the 21 vaccination centers were given a bottle of beer to carry home and enjoy at an appropriate time courtesy of Nile Breweries Ltd. The company will carry out vaccination drives in 4 other districts this month.