US gives Tanzania over 1 million Covid-19 vaccine doses

Dar es Salaam,

Tanzania Friday received more than a million doses of the Janssen coronavirus vaccine from the United States, donated through the World Health Organization's Covax initiative.

The vaccines were received by Health Minister Dorothy Gwajima and Foreign affairs minister Liberata Mulamula at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam. Also present was the US ambassador to Tanzania, Donald Wright.

Via Twitter, the US embassy said: “The US is pleased to announce delivery to Tanzania of over one million doses of Covid-19 vaccines delivered through Covax, in coordination with the African Union. Another example of the strength of our 60-year partnership and our commitment to Tanzania.”

Mr Wright, who handed over the cargo to the Tanzanian government, said the goal is to save lives.

"We offer this vaccine to save lives and lead the world in ending this scourge," he said, reiterating the commitment to working with Tanzania to fight the virus.

On Friday, D Gwajima said the government plans to vaccinate at least 60 percent of all Tanzanians.

She said that when vaccination is rolled out, priority will be given to frontline workers, the elderly and those with underlying health issues.

“We will announce health centres where the vaccines will be available and the procedures that will be used to provide the vaccine,” she said. "The government is committed to ensuring every Tanzanian gets the vaccine for free.”

The vaccines will be stored at the Medical Store Department (MSD) in Dar es Salaam until the immunisation campaign begins.

A total of 11 million Tanzanians, equivalent to 20 percent of the total population in the country, will be targeted for vaccination through the Covax programme.