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Health News for Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Source: GNA
2021-03-02
Coronavirus vaccines – Stock Photo
The United States congratulated Ghana on the successful start of the COVID-19 vaccine campaign on March 1.
A statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Accra, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the campaign was made possible by the COVAX Advanced Market Engagement, a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
He recalled that the United States recently announced a commitment to provide an initial $ 2 billion – out of a planned total of $ 4 billion – to the COVAX Advanced Market Engagement, making the United States the largest contributor to the international response to COVID. -19.
“Ghana is the first country in the world to have received COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility,” he said.
The statement said, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), that the U.S. contribution would support the purchase and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations in 92 low- and middle-income countries.
“This support is essential to control the pandemic, stop the emergence of new variants and help reactivate the world economy,” he said.
He said in view of the launch and the example set by the first and second Ghanaian couple and other eminent people receiving the first vaccines,
Ms. Stephanie Sullivan, US Ambassador to Ghana, reiterated the US partnership with Ghana and congratulates the Government of Ghana for its tireless commitment to reducing transmission and stopping the spread of the virus, paving the way to build a stronger Ghana and resistant. The Ambassador encouraged everyone to “Protect yourself, protect your family, get vaccinated against the coronavirus”, the theme of the vaccination campaign.
The statement said the US government would provide additional funding to the COVAX facility through 2022 and would work with other donors to make further pledges and commitments to meet the facility’s critical needs.
He said the US government was committed to working with partners and governments to support global vaccination efforts against COVID-19, with a focus on vaccinating vulnerable populations.
The statement said that for 60 years, the United States government, through USAID, had worked with the Ghanaian health sector to build capacity and strengthen services that had contributed to improving the health of Ghanaians.
He said that to support Ghana’s response to COVID-19, to date, USAID had provided $ 19 million to address the immediate and medium-term effects of COVID-19 in the health, agriculture and education sectors, and to support the sector. private most affected. .
He said USAID supported the Ministry of Health to train health workers in critical care COVID-19; Spreading behavioral and social change messages to increase knowledge and awareness about COVID-19, including increasing the number of people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and delivering life-saving supplies and essentials across the country.
The statement said that in addition to USAID’s efforts, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had also provided critical technical assistance to strengthen contact tracing, surveillance and laboratory activities.
He said the US Department of Defense had coordinated donations of personal protective equipment and medical supplies to assist frontline healthcare workers, as well as test supplies to increase Ghana’s testing capacity.
He said the US government’s Power Africa initiative recently supported the electrification of 65 healthcare facilities in the Ashanti region with solar energy, allowing the facilities to operate at night, diversify their services and ensure a cold chain. of vaccines to spread to rural areas.
In addition, the United States facilitated the redeployment by the Ghanaian Armed Forces of one of two state-of-the-art peacekeeping field hospitals donated by the United States to a COVID-19 treatment facility. USAID is the lead agency of the United States government working to end extreme global poverty and enable democratic and resilient societies to realize their potential.
USAID’s activities and strategic alliances support Ghana’s path to self-reliance and promote an integrated approach to development.
It promotes accountability, sustainable systems and inclusive development.
