The Ministry of Health (MoH) on Monday, received additional 1.2 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine as procured by the government.
The arrival of the vaccine brings to 1,622,000 doses, the number of Johnson & Johnson vaccines procured by the government so far as part of the efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the same vein, the MoH has also taken delivery of more than 1.7 million doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine donated by the US government and delivered through COVAX facility.
The package increases the total of US donated Covid-19 vaccines to Ghana to more than 4.2 million doses since September 2021.
Chair of the Health Commodities Group for Covid-19 at the MoH, Matthew Kyeremeh, speaking during the delivery of the consignment said it forms part of the 16.9 million doses of Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine the government has earmarked to purchase to fight the pandemic.
He said “as the vaccine market becomes more accessible, more vaccines would be bought in accordance with the Food Drugs Authority’s approval to augment the donations the country is receiving from development partners.”
US Donation
US Ambassador Stephanie Sullivan was joined by Deputy Minister of Health Mahama Asei Seini, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong, the UNICEF Country Representative to Ghana Ms. Anne-Claire Dufay, and representatives of the Ghana Health Service, to receive the donated vaccine doses at the Kotoka International Airport, in Accra.
The US Ambassador said, the life-saving vaccines, donated on behalf of the American people, will help save Ghanaian lives, as the two countries work together to defeat the virus.
“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 US has strongly supported Ghana’s Covid-19 response efforts, providing more than $30 million to support various interventions including the purchase of personal protective equipment, testing, and medical equipment, training for medical professionals, and economic assistance for impacted communities.
Deputy Minister of Health, Mahama Asei Seini, expressed gratitude to the US government for the generous donation.
He said the donation was timely as the GHS has expanded the eligibility criteria for people who can take the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to 15 years and above.
He encouraged the public to take advantage of the opportunity created by the government to get their free Covid-19 vaccine jab.
