The country is expected to inoculate about 300,000 people with the new batch of the vaccine received this week from manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, at a time when almost 40% of the Covid-19 vaccines from the Covax mechanism have already arrived in Mozambique.
By the end of the year, the Mozambican authorities expect to have more than 2 million vaccines available as part of the initiative created by the World Health Organization, WHO, for the equitable distribution of the product.
The new shipment of immunizers arrived at a time when third-wave figures are worrying the government and the country as a whole, which by now has more than 28,000 active cases and at least 1,360 deaths due to the pandemic.
The acting representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund, Unicef, in Mozambique highlighted the stages of delivery. Katarina Johansson was speaking at the reception of the shipment of immunizers funded by the United States. “These vaccines come in addition to the previous 384,000 doses received in March this year and 108,000 doses received earlier this month, totaling 794,400. That is, 38% of the doses that the country will receive through the Covax initiative.”
The official highlighted features of Janssen’s product in distribution operations. The agency assists the logistics of the process coordinated by the Mozambican government.
“Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine has a particularity of being administered in a single dose, which will facilitate the rationalization of operational resources in the implementation process.”
Of the various public health prevention measures adopted by governments and health authorities, immunization against Covid-19 is considered effective in preventing serious illness and deaths.
The UN agency representative reiterated that assistance will continue to advance immunization against coronavirus in Mozambican lands.
National Campaign
“Unicef will continue its support to the Mozambican government in coordination with WHO, Gavi, World Bank and other partners to increase equitable access to Covid-19 vaccination in the country, so that we can reach the goal of more than 2 million vaccines to be received by the end of the year under the Covax initiative.”
In the balance of the first two phases, about 318,000 people were immunized nationwide. The Mozambican Ministry of Health started the National Vaccination Campaign in March.
On a global level, health authorities advocate that the Covid -19 vaccine protects and saves lives. The immunization initiatives in countries benefit health systems and contribute to the recovery of economic activity.
