Ghana has today taken delivery of 249,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from the United Kingdom.

The doses arrived this morning (August 18, 2021) at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra. They were received by the Minister of Health, Madam Tina Mensah, a representative of the UK High Commission, Mr John Whittle and the UNICEF representative and other partners.

This shipment facilitated by UNICEF is part of a broader pledge to share 100 million jabs with the rest of the world, 80% of which will be through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX).

A tweet by the British High Commission, Accra said the doses are being transported to “health workers, those most in need & those waiting for their 2nd dose”.

The UK has already donated approximately 5 million vaccine doses to COVAX and the total number of doses being sent to African countries in this delivery is approximately 3 million.

Other African countries that have also benefited from the donation include Malawi (119,040doses), Senegal (14,160 doses), Egypt (299,680 doses) and Uganda (299,520).

As part of their vaccine donation, the UK is also covering the costs of syringes, safety boxes, air freight and other ancillary costs.

Source: Graphic Online