The German Government is giving Ghana 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to aid in the country’s vaccination campaign against the pandemic.
The donation is part of the pledge made by Germany to make up to 70 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine available to African countries this year to help the continent’s bid to vaccinate its 1.3 billion population.
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel pledged last Friday after a summit with African leaders on the G20’s Compact with Africa Initiative held last week.
“As we speak, President Akufo-Addo has dispatched a plane to Germany to take delivery of the 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines,” said the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin whilst addressing the Presidential Press Corp at the Jubilee House, Accra.
The contribution from Germany is in addition to 1.5 million doses of the Moderna vaccine that the American Government has given Ghana to aid the Government’s quest to have at least 20 million of the adult population of the country vaccinated by the end of the year.
“At this particular stage, I think it is a good initiative that has been undertaken by the Government of President Akufo-Addo towards helping to rid our country of COVID-19, and, hopefully, his pledge of ensuring 20 million Ghanaians by the end of this year are vaccinated. Slowly but surely, I believe we are on course to realizing that particular pledge of ensuring that the entire adult population of Ghana is vaccinated.
“So, 1.5 million vaccine doses from Germany is on its way to Ghana,” Mr Arhin said.
The Communications Director who was briefing the Press Corp on the President’s seven-day working visit to Germany said President Akufo-Addo held bilateral talks with his German counterpart on vaccines, acquisition of naval patrol boats for the Ghana Navy, and strengthening the bonds of cooperation between the two nations.
The President also participated in the G20 Compact for Africa, initiated under the German Presidency to promote private investment in Africa, including infrastructure, where he made clear that the Compact initiative had had a tremendous impact on Ghana’s ambition to become an investment hub in Africa, with auto and industry giants pitching camp in the country.
Source: GNA