In search of a COVID-19 vaccine in Yemen

According to Al-Amri, the vaccination process was random and disorganised, which led to the overcrowding, with people fearing that doses would run out. In response, in mid-July the Ministry of Health started a pre-registration system, with people attending by appointment only.

Taking advantage of the crisis

For four days in June, Al Akel waited in long queues in front of the vaccination centre, which was only open from 8am until 1pm. On the fourth day, as his turn was about to come, a broker approached him, offering to sell him a forged vaccination card for 800 Saudi riyals. The broker claimed the vaccine was unsafe and had dangerous side effects. Al Akel would have accepted the offer, had his turn not come at that moment.

Brokers were operating in Marib and Aden, as well as Taiz, forging and selling vaccination cards, taking advantage of people’s need for these certificates to travel. In response, the Ministry of Health launched a platform to issue electronic certificates, and no longer issues vaccination cards. The ministry posted a statement on its official Facebook page warning people against buying forged certificates or dealing with brokers.

But this did not stop the problem. Programmers hacked the certificates platform and were able to enter the data of unvaccinated people and issue electronic certificates, charging amounts up to 1,500 Saudi riyals. According to the ministry, its technical teams, along with the WHO, are working on fixing and securing the platform.

On 22 September, the second shipment of vaccines arrived in the country, and Al Akel received his second dose a week later. But with Yemen still in a state of war, and with the humanitarian crisis affecting the lives of millions, the country is still far from having enough vaccines to protect everyone.

*** This article has been archived for your research. The original version from Open Democracy can be found here ***