The United States government is set to donate 1.3 million Pfizer vaccines to Ghana, US Vice President, Kamala Harris has announced.
This is an additional consignment to the 1.2 million Moderna vaccines the US gave Ghana earlier in September 2021.
Kamala Harris disclosed this during bilateral talks with Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the White House on Thursday, September 23, 2021.
She said the donation is part of the US’ effort to help countries including Ghana to recover from the shocks of COVID-19.
“The United States is proud to be a member of COVAX and the African Union, and has donated more than 1.2 million doses of the Moderna vaccine to Ghana. I am proud to announce that, shortly, we will send 1.3 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine”, she stressed.
While admitting that the pandemic has had a toll on countries around the globe, Kamala Harris said it was imperative for developed countries such as the US to collectivize efforts and share resources to position countries for pandemics of the future.
“None of us have been immune from the ravages of the pandemic. We recognize our shared responsibility to collaborate, to share resources, to not only continue to address the effects of COVID-19 but also to prepare for the next pandemics.”
President Akufo-Addo was grateful to the US for the kind gesture, explaining that the support from Americans has been of immense help to Ghana’s fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.
“We have had some difficult times in our country because of the pandemic, and we appreciate your support. We are grateful for the support the US government is giving us in dealing with the virus.”
Akufo-Addo reiterated his resolve of vaccinating 20 million of Ghana’s population, adding that, “if we are able to achieve this, we can defeat the virus in the context of Ghana”.
The Presidential Vaccine Manufacturing Committee says Ghana will need $200 million to fully manufacture COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana.
The Committee led by Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng says the project will be a private-public partnership arrangement aimed at getting all involved.
Source: citinewsroom.com