By Kefiloe Kajane
A non-profit organisation fund made up of local corporates and businesses, known as Sesiu Sa Letṧoele Le Beta Poho, this week confirmed that 11 companies have so far pledged a total of M25,551,000.00 towards procurement and distribution of vaccines for all Basotho.
According to the organisation, they will complete the order of the vaccine next week, and the first shipment of the Sputnik 5 vaccine from Russia will arrive in May.
The chairman of Sesiu Sa Letṧoele Le Beta Poho Sam Matekane said the organisation is mandated to augment and expedite the government of Lesotho’s Covid19 vaccine response plan.
Matekane said participation in the pledge to fund is open to every Mosotho who wishes to pledge towards vaccinating the entire public. He said every cent counts and as the fund, they take any amount of donations towards the purchasing of Covid-19 vaccines.
“We, the board and trustees to the fund are drawing close to our first order of 100 000 doses to be completed by the end of the week. Our choice of vaccine is dependent on the efficacy data, number of doses and global supplies. As it stands, the global political climate in the United States, United Kingdom and European Union have led to a restriction in global access.
“We are as such expected to receive our initial order of vaccines 60 days after a purchase order has been completed. We, therefore, plan to have our first consignment by the end of May 2021, subsequently receiving 100 000 doses every month until the end of the year.
“We wanted to purchase the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as it is the most trusted one, but we were unable to do so hence we settled for Sputnik 5 vaccine. There are other local companies that have promised to contribute more vaccine doses.”
Matekane revealed that they are working hand in hand with the ministry of health and, when the vaccine gets here, the ministry will be left to handle everything, including the distribution of the vaccine.
“We would not be able to do anything without the ministry of health, so that is why we are aligning ourselves with the ministry of health so that we get everything right as they are the ones who know more about vaccines,” he said.
