UK donated Covid-19 vaccines arrive in Ghana

A shipment of 249,000 AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines donated to the UK has arrived at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra.

A statement released by the British high commission in Accra and copied to the Ghanaian news agency said vaccines would be rolled out across Ghana to those who need them most.

He said the vaccines had been received at KIA by senior officials from the high commission and officials from Ghana’s Ministry of Health, including Dr Joseph Whittle, the charge d’affaires and Uzoamaka Gilpin, the UK advisor on matters. in Ghana, Ms. Tina Mensah, Deputy Minister of Health and Ms. Anne-Claire Dufay, UNICEF Representative in Ghana.

The statement said the expedition is part of a larger pledge made by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the G7 meeting in June.

He noted that the UK would share 100 million jabs with the rest of the world, 80% of which is through the COVAX initiative.

The statement revealed that the UK had already donated five million doses of the vaccine to COVAX and that three million of those doses would be sent to African countries.

Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia are among the countries that have already received vaccines.

Speaking at Kotoka International Airport, Dr Whittle said: “Today’s expedition marks another step forward in Ghana’s immunization program. This means that 249,600 frontline health workers, vulnerable people most at risk of Covid-19 and those who need their second life-saving vaccine have access to vaccines and better protection against Covid-19 variants. “

“Our shared commitment to defeat Covid-19 has only strengthened the UK-Ghana partnership, and this is reflected in the fact that Ghana is one of the first countries in the world to receive UK-donated vaccines. -United.”

The statement said the UK has been at the forefront of the global response to COVID-19, including investing £ 90million to support the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

He said more than half a billion doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine had been delivered at a non-profit price around the world, with two-thirds going to low and middle-income countries.

The statement reaffirmed that the UK had launched its efforts to establish COVAX in 2020, providing a total of £ 548million to fund vaccines for low-income countries.

He said the program had delivered more than 152 million doses of vaccine to more than 137 countries and territories, including 83 lower middle-income countries.

He said 65% of the initial vaccine doses were Oxford-AstraZeneca; adding that COVAX aims to deliver 1.8 billion vaccines to low-income countries around the world by early 2022.

Mr Dominic Raab, UK Foreign Secretary, said: “Three million doses of vaccines donated by the UK are now reaching 11 African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, to help to fight against COVID-19 ”.

“This is the first batch of 80 million donations through COVAX – because we know no one is safe until everyone is safe.”

The UK continues to support Ghana’s response to Covid-19, placing UK experts at the heart of Ghana’s health service and the Department of Health, helping the Department of Health to expand COVID treatment and testing 19 quality in 40 underserved districts while ensuring the continuation of essential services. health services for women and children.