This archive report was first published on 18 November 2021.
On November 18, 2021, Rwanda's Ministry of Health announced a significant boost to its Covid-19 vaccination campaign, with a focus on increasing vaccination rates in the capital city, Kigali.
As of November 18, 2021, the country had already surpassed the global WHO Africa target to inoculate 40 percent of the population with at least one dose. The current goal is to fully vaccinate 30 percent of Rwanda's 12.9 million population, or 3,870,000 people, by December 2020.
Minister of Health Daniel Ngamije attributed the success of the campaign to a catch-up plan strategy, which involves setting up vaccination stations near bus stations in Kigali. This move has led to a significant increase in the number of people receiving their first dose, from less than 68,000 per day in the previous weeks to over 239,000 people vaccinated in one day.
Jeremy Dukundane, a university student, praised the convenience of the vaccination process, saying, “I had taken my first shot three weeks ago but because of busy studies, I had not found time to go for the second dose. I took it yesterday when I was going to travel. It was very convenient.”
The ongoing vaccination campaign has seen over 5,227,250 people receive their first shot, while 2,850,430 people are fully vaccinated. The Ministry of Health has also confirmed that Rwanda is considering giving booster shots to people with suppressed immune systems, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
