By Mama A Touray
The Gambia has again received 151,000 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccines donated by United State of America.
The receiving and handing over of the additional 151,200 Johnson and Johnson vaccines took place on Sunday, 1st August, 2021 at the Banjul International Airport. This donation of the said vaccines by the American government to The Gambia came in less than one month from the first donation meant to fight the coronavirus in the country.
Speaking at the handing over, the Health Minister Dr Amadou Lamin Samateh said: ”This vaccine we are receiving today (Sunday) been the second batch from the USA, Johnson and Johnson. People now understand that this vaccine is saving lives and we have seen the unprecedented number of people coming to get vaccinated, today been the sixth day over 10,239 people got vaccinated, this first week we have 53, 700 plus vaccines administered in a short week.
He added that the vaccines are like diamonds and urged the citizens to take the pandemic seriously and follow the preventive measure while they go get their Covid-19 vaccination, Coronavirus is real!
Modou Njai, Director of Health Promotion described the receiving day as “important day as witnessing the arrival and delivery of extra 151,000 doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine donated by the government of the United States through the US Ambassador for onward transmission to the government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Health.”
”To us as the Ministry of Health, this is a very important thing for us as we are now witnessing the fact that people are now willing to come forward to be vaccinated against the Covid-19 pandemic and it is a great opportunity for us to have additional supply to reach out to the people wherever they are to be vaccinated,” ‘he added.
US Ambassador R Carl Paschall said the pandemic has been a difficult challenge to the world but “we are in pursuant to work together as a team. We are all in this together around the world,” adding that they are very delighted to partner with the government of The Gambia to provide these vaccines.”
”I have to applaud the Ministry of Health and the team you have mobilized rapidly as after the first arrival of the vaccines, in another week, you began to administer the vaccines and over the week, over 50,000 vaccines have been administered,” he expressed and assured that they will continue to support the Gambia’s vaccination program.
Meanwhile, United Nations International Children Emergency Fund deputy representative Toshiko Takahashi sincerely thanked the government of The Gambia through Ministry of Health for their leadership roles and dedication to end the pandemic.
“I will like to express the highest respect for the health workers and all those who are in frontline, and to those who are behind the scenes supporting this national effort, including logistics and operations to ensure equitable access to safe and effective vaccines and UNICEF remains a proud partner with you to the end,” he stated.
”To halt the spread of the Pandemic,” he said, “we need to accelerate risk communication and community engagement to boost people’s vaccine acceptance and other preventive measures, for this, the role of religious leaders is instrumental because you have an influential voice based on trust and people’s behavior, which is key to ending pandemic.”
