MoH receives 2.9m more COVID-19 vaccine doses from USA, Denmark
The governments of the United States of America and Denmark have supported the national vaccination programme against COVID-19 with additional 2.9 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Presented through the COVAX facility, 1.9 doses came from the government of Denmark, while the remaining one million doses are from the government of the USA.
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This brings to over 15 million the total number of vaccines the country has received as it strives to reach the targeted herd immunity of 20 million vaccinated people by the close of the year.
At the handover ceremony at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra yesterday, the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Tom Nørring, said the gesture was a demonstration of Denmark's vaccine solidarity.
“I urge all people in Ghana, who are not yet vaccinated, to do so as a matter of urgency,” he said.
Mr Nørring said no life should be lost to COVID-19 when vaccines were available.
USA’s support
The USA, on the other hand, has now given 5.2 million doses of the vaccine to Ghana since September this year as part of the 1.2 billion doses President Joe Biden had committed to sharing globally, with 90 million of the 295 million dispatched across the world going to sub-Saharan Africa.
The USA Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Stephanie Sullivan, said: “Now it is time for all people in Ghana to get their jab for our collective good. These vaccines are the same safe and effective vaccines used in the United States”.
Ms Sullivan said it was possible to beat COVID-19, but that it could only happen when all eligible people get their jabs.
UNICEF pleased
On behalf of COVAX, the UNICEF Country Representative, Ms Anne-Claire Dufay, said UNICEF was pleased to support the shipment of the vaccines under COVAX.
“The arrival of these vaccines is, particularly, timely, as they will support the Government of Ghana’s renewed campaign to increase the number of people vaccinated against COVID-19 in December,” she said.
Ms Dufay said the country now had a significant quantity of vaccines and more were on the way.
She said more than seven per cent of the population had been fully vaccinated with two doses, and 21 per cent with a single dose, and congratulated the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service on their efforts to this campaign.
“UNICEF will continue working closely with the Government of Ghana and all key actors in combatting this pandemic. As an implementing partner of the COVAX facility (CEPI, GAVI, WHO), UNICEF remains committed to supporting efforts to ensure a more equitable global supply of COVID-19 vaccines.
“COVID-19 remains a very real and present threat. In just a few weeks, many of us will be gathering with our friends and family to celebrate the festive season. The vaccine will protect the lives of you and your loved ones,” she added.
Coordinator of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, Mr Matthew Kyeremeh, expressed gratitude to the donor countries for the support.
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