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Minister Brophy announces COVID-19 funding at vaccine clinic in Uganda

Minister for Overseas Development Aid & Diaspora, Colm Brophy T.D., today visited a vaccine centre in Kampala where vaccines donated from Ireland to Uganda were being administered.

While visiting the centre, Minister Brophy announced Irish Aid funding of €2.4m, through the World Health Organisation, to the continued COVID-19 response in Uganda. This funding will support the accelerated rollout of vaccines and COVID-19 preparedness.

Minister Brophy said:

“It was a privilege to see vaccines donated from Ireland being used to protect people in Uganda. Over 90% of Irish people are now vaccinated against Covid-19, but only roughly 1% of Ugandans have been afforded that protection.

“The pandemic has undermined efforts to lift people out of poverty. Schools in Uganda remain closed and this is having a very negative impact on young people’s ability to learn, grow and develop. Ireland’s donation of over 335,000 COVID-19 vaccines, along with the significant funding to Uganda’s COVID-19 response I am announcing today, will help to build Uganda’s vaccination programme and keep people here safe from this virus.”

Minister Brophy is in Uganda as part of a week-long visit to the region. He participated in the African Union – European Union Ministerial Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, on Tuesday, before travelling to Karamoja, Uganda’s least developed region, to see the impact of Irish Aid programmes.

While in Uganda, Minister Brophy is also undertaking a series of political engagements. Meetings with Ugandan government ministers and officials will include Uganda’s First Lady and Minister of Education, Janet Museveni; Minister of State for Health, Anifa Kawooya Bangirana; and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeje Odongo.

Minister Brophy will also meet with civil society actors working on human rights issues, and with members of the Irish community in Uganda.

ENDS

Press Office

29 October 2021

Notes for Editors

  • Photos will be issued to photodesks.
  • Irish Aid is a strategic partner of Africa Code Week, which is an initiative of software company SAP. First launched in 2015 by SAP and Irish partner Camden Education Trust, Africa Code Week (ACW) provides free opportunities for African students and teachers to learn much-needed technology skills. ACW has become Africa’s biggest digital skills youth initiative.
  • In 2019, ACW engaged nearly 4 million children in 37 countries. In 2020, 1.5m youths engaged in coding workshops, 48% of whom were girls. An additional 20,000 teachers were trained on coding.
  • In 2021, there will be workshops in 54 countries with a specific focus on girls.
  • An ACW Women’s Empowerment Programme brings together African female teachers and educators in Computer Science and STEM to share knowledge, brainstorm innovative ideas, and collaborate on challenges and projects with the aim of supporting girls to stay in school and build STEM and digital skills.  
  • As a strategic partner of the initiative since 2019, Irish Aid is actively helping to build educational capacity and expand the network of female educational leadership.

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