Prime Minister Andrew Holness strikes back at critics of the government’s efforts to obtain COVID-19 vaccines.
Holness stressed today that the government has used several ways to procure doses, adding that it has acted in the best interests of Jamaica.
“I have heard what the opposition has said and I have heard what others have said. Much of what is being said is inaccurate and can be misleading to the public,” Holness said.
Opposition leader Mark Golding recently slammed the government, saying it was “grossly negligent” to obtain COVID-19 vaccines for Jamaicans.
READ: Golding accuses Holness of ‘gross negligence’ over obtaining vaccines
Holness remarked today that the government was cautious about the issues surrounding the acquisition of vaccines due to the bilateral and multilateral considerations that exist.
“The work that goes on behind the scenes to achieve this does not bring us to the public, and because we do not, it leaves a void for speculation. You would have heard things like ‘the rest of the Caribbean is “our foreland ‘and’ they did things we did not do. ‘.. You would have seen a statement from CARICOM explaining our position because Jamaica is not the only country waiting for vaccinations,” Holness said.
READ: VACCINE CRY TO PRAY – CARICOM appeals to US and says it is ‘expressed’ by rich countries
He noted that there was a lot of ‘vaccine politics’ going on.
“There is now a situation where larger, more prosperous countries are able to obtain supplies. We are in the early stages of vaccine production, and therefore the demand for the vaccine is more than the existing supply,”
Today, the Indian High Commissioner of Jamaica, his excellent ambassador, Masakui Rungsung, announced that there will be a donation of vaccines next week.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness said earlier that they expect to receive 50,000 doses of vaccines from India.
Rungsung noted that India has committed to delivering 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Caribbean Community countries (CARICOM) and that Jamaica’s share is ready to be shipped.
READ: Jamaica gets COVID-19 vaccines from India next week
Holness thanked for the donation and said Jamaica is looking forward to its vaccination program.
“We make sure that the vaccines we have are approved by the World Health Organization … we make sure that when the vaccines arrive here, they can be distributed and administered quickly so that there is no delay in storage and confusion about who should get them. the work is done. ‘
“Your government is acting in your best interests,” Holness said.
The minister of health, Dr. Christopher Tufton, declared Wednesday that the vaccination equipment has been checked and is ready.
READ: Tufton says vaccination storage facilities are ready
Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or send an email to [email protected] or [email protected].