US donates 1 million doses of Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines to Ghana

The United States (US) Government on Wednesday donated one million doses of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to Ghana through the COVAX facility.

This brings to 5.2 million, the total number of vaccine doses Ghana has received from the US since September, this year.

Mr Matthew Kyeremeh, Chairman of the Health Commodities Group for COVID-19 at the Ministry of Health (MOH) who received the donation, said Ghana had enough vaccines to vaccinate more people.

He urged the public to visit vaccination centres to receive the jabs to avoid vaccine wastage.

Mr Kyeremeh thanked the US Government for the continued support of the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana.

Presenting the vaccines, Madam Stephanie Sullivan, the US Ambassador to Ghana, said “now is the time for Ghanaians to receive the jabs to avert the spread of the virus.”

“These doses are the same safe and effective vaccines used in the United States, we can beat this pandemic together, but it starts with each eligible person receiving their jab,” she said.

Madam Sullivan said the US had already donated 295 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to countries around the world out of, which 90 million had been donated to Sub-Saharan Africa.

She thanked the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for delivering the vaccines through COVAX.

She said expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service for promptly arranging for the vaccines to be transported to safety.

Ms. Anne-Claire Dufay, UNICEF Country Representative to Ghana, said the vaccines would support the Government of Ghana’s renewed campaign to increase the number of people vaccinated against COVID-19 in December.

“Ghana now has a significant quantity of vaccines, and more are on the way, more than seven per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated with two doses, and 21 per cent with a single dose,” she noted.

Ms Dufay said UNICEF would continue working closely with the Government of Ghana and all key actors in combatting the pandemic.

“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 you and your loved ones,” she said and encouraged parents, caregivers and the public to ensure that children were vaccinated.