September 9, 2021
BY MOHAMED M. SESAY
Consistent with the global effort to eradicate the Coronavirus pandemic, the United Stated Ambassador to Sierra Leone Ambassador David D. Reimer has yesterday the 8th of September, handed over one hundred and fifty-one, two hundred (151,200) doses of the Johnson and Johnson Vaccines to the Minister of Health and Sanitation.
In his handing over statement at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation’s Conference hall, the United States Ambassador David D. Reimer congratulated the Ministry of Health and the people of Sierra Leone for the shipment of the Johnson and Johnson vaccines into the country. He added that the vaccine which requires only one dose per person, will boost the country by scaling up life saving protection of people particularly in rural areas.
Ambassador Reimer stated that the recent consignment is the third set of Johnson and Johnson vaccines that Sierra Leone has received through the COVAX mechanism.
He assured that the United States firmly supports COVAX equitable access of the vaccines for people across the globe including Sierra Leone. Ambassador Reimer reiterated that the shipment of the Johnson and Johnson Vaccines is part of United States largest vaccine sharing agreement that President Joe Biden is committed to in order to deliver on the COVAX mandate.
He continued that the equitable access of safe and efficacious vaccines is very essential to end the pandemic. He warned that if the country wants to stop the spread of the virus and its variants, thed people must be vaccinated as many as possible and as quickly as possible.
‘’So I want to be here today standing in partnership with COVAX, and I am proud to work with Sierra Leone in ending the pandemic. I wish every safety and absolute resiliency during this challenging times”, Ambassador Reimer Concluded.
In his statement, Joseph Sikueya, the Deputy Representative of UNICEF said the Covid-19 pandemic can only be tackled when the World acts together as one. He added that it was that reason that he appreciated the solidarity exhibited by the United States Government by rallying behind the Government of Sierra Leone to get the vaccines here.
He also noted that the United States Government made the donation through the COVAX Facility which is a global coalition formed to ensure the equitable distribution of Cpovid-19 vaccines to countries regardless of their income power. With the recent consignment of vaccines, Joseph Sikueya stated that Sierra Leone has so far received up to eight hundred and thirty-eight thousand doses of Covid-19 vaccines in response to the pandemic.
He pointed out that the arrival of the Johnson and Johnson vaccines came at a time when the country is undertaking an intensified surge vaccination exercise to reach more people with the Covid-19 vaccines. He concluded by reassuring that UNICEF remains proud to partner with the Government of Sierra Leone and other stakeholders in implementing interventions that save and improve the lives of Children and their families.
Receiving the donated consignments from the Ambassador, the Minister of Health and Sanitation Dr. Austin Demby thanked the United States Ambassador and the United States Government by extension, for their timely intervention in donating the One hundred and fifty-one thousand, two hundred doses of Johnson and Johnson Vaccines. Dr. Demby recalled that in the middle of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, the United States Government deployed one thousand five hundred people to work with Sierra Leoneans in every aspect of the Ebola response.
He added that the donation of the Johnson and Johnson Vaccines by the United States Government is part of the broader engagement r to strengthen partnership with the United Sated Government. Dr. Demby continued that the country has gone through the first wave, second wave and third wave of the virus. He therefore, warned that the only thing that can prevent the country from the fourth wave of the pandemic is when people are fully vaccinated.
He encouraged people to go and take the vaccines assuring that, all of the vaccines are very safe, efficacious and free of cost.
“Now is the time to intensify our effort. We are going to have more vaccines and the Ministry of Health is dedicated and devoted to be able to deplore all of the forces that are needed in ensuring that the vaccines are rolled out across the country”, Dr. Demby assured.