COVID-19 vaccines shipped by COVAX arrive in Sierra Leone
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Freetown, Sierra Leone, Monday 8 March 2021 - Today, Sierra Leone received the first batch of 96,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine shipped via the COVAX Facility, a partnership between the Government Sierra Leone, CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO. This is a historic step towards our goal to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, in what will be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history. The delivery is part of a first wave of arrivals of an initial 528,000 doses that will continue till end of May 2021.
On 6 March 2021, COVAX shipped 96,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, licensed and manufactured by Serum Institute (PVT) Limited from Maharashtra, India, to Freetown, Sierra Leone, arriving in the evening of 8 March 2021. The arrival of this first batch of 528,000 doses will kick start the vaccination of 20% of Sierra Leone’s 8,000,000 population as part of t
Sierra Leone Telegraph: 9 March 2021:
Sierra Leone has received the first batch of 96,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine from the COVAX programme – a global partnership co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), working with UNICEF as well as the World Bank, civil society organisations, manufacturers, and others. COVAX is part of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a ground-breaking global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines.
“This is a historic step towards our goal to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, in what will be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history. The delivery is part of a first wave of arrivals of an initial 528,000 doses that will continue till end of May 2021,” the statement released today reads.
State House, Freetown, Wednesday 10 February 2021 –Dr Austin Hinga Demby has today subscribed to the oath of office as Minister of Health and Sanitation before His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio, and assured that he is bringing a wealth of experience to the job.
Before his recent appointment, the US and UK trained health expert, with specialties in microbiology, epidemiology, and biostatistics, served as Deputy Director, Office of Global Health at Health Resources and Services Administration in the United States. He had also worked with the Centres for Disease Control and Preventions abroad for many years
Dr Demby described the ceremony of his swearing-in as a milestone, adding that with his wealth of experience having served in various parts of the world, he was confident and determined to deliver. He thanked the President for the opportunity to help him transform the health sector of the small west African nation.