US donates additional 1.7 million doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to Ghana
The United States (US) Government on Monday donated about 1.7 million doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to Ghana through the COVAX facility.
This brings to 4.2 million, the total number of vaccine doses Ghana has received from the US.
A Deputy Minister for Health, Alhaji Mahama Seini, who received the donation, said Ghana had enough vaccines to vaccinate more people and urged the public to visit vaccination centres to receive their jabs to avoid vaccine wastage.
He thanked the US government for its continues support to the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana.
He said the health ministry and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) would distributed the vaccines nationwide to ensure that more eligible persons are vaccinated.
Presenting the vaccines, Madam Stephanie Sullivan, the US Ambassador to Ghana, said the vaccines donated to Ghana on behalf of the American people, would help save lives.
“These doses are the same safe and effective vaccines used in the United States, there is no better time for Ghanaians to protect their families and communities by getting the jab,” she said.
She said the donation was part of the United States’ global efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms. Anne-Claire Dufay, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Country Representative to Ghana, said the fund would ensure the save storage and transport of the vaccines, adding that syringes would also be provided in a few days.
“We want to highlight that it is extremely important for everyone to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones, as we approach the Christmas festivities,” she said
Ms Dufay encouraged Ghanaians to adhere to all COVID-19 protocols such as the appropriate wearing of face masks in vehicles and at all public places, wash hands frequently with soap under running water and observe social distancing.
In September, President Biden committed to donating 1.1 billion doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine worldwide.
The United States Government has already delivered 252 million doses to over 100 countries, including 71 million doses in Sub-Saharan Africa alone.
Source: GNA