Cameroonian health authorities have received 158, 400 doses of the Johnson and Johnson single-shot COVID-19 vaccine as the first consignment supplied by the AU/African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT).
The supply of the consignment was done in collaboration with the Africa Medical Supplies Platform (ASMP), at the Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport.
These initiatives are jointly supported by the African Union’s Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Also, some other supporting institutions include the African and International Institutions, foundations, corporations as well as the governments of China, Canada and France.
“For months we’ve been meeting with African Ministers of Finance, Economy Health and other stakeholders to underscore the importance of facilitating access to vaccines to end global vaccine inequality,” ECA’s Director for Central Africa , Antonio Pedro
“This calls for celebration as we’ve reached a milestone in the acquisition of vaccines manufactured in Africa (i.e. South Africa) for Africans.”
Antonio Pedro congratulated Cameroon on being at the fore of the initiative, stating that it symbolized the country’s resolve to move towards herd immunity.
He, however, warned that Cameroonians must maintain the momentum in acquiring and administering vaccines as the surest way of ending a double jeopardy posed to both their health and economy.
Also, meeting at the airport to receive the consignment, the Permanent Secretary in Cameroon’s Ministry of Health – Prof Louis Njock congratulated intra-African cooperation in the AVAT initiative, indicating that the country aims to acquire 5.3 million doses of the Johnson and Johnson shot altogether in the not too distant future.
Furthermore, Dr. Mohammed Abdulaziz, who represented the Africa Centre for Disease Control averred that it was a proud and historic moment for Africa but implored Cameroonian authorities to ensure the “vaccines go into the arms of those who need it the most”.
The Chargé d’affaires, ad interim, of the United States’ Embassy to Cameroon, Mary Daschbach reminded all that vaccines save lives, affirming that the Johnson and Johnson consignment should be administered with confidence.
Meanwhile, Afreximbank’s Assistant Manager for Administration in Charge of Francophone West and Central Africa Mr. Kouakou Alphonse Kangah re-echoed his institution’s resolve to keep working with its African and external partners to procure vaccines to protect lives and livelihoods.
It would be recalled that President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, announced the start of monthly shipments of vaccines acquired by AVAT to AU Member States on 5th August 2021.
Thus, a total of 6.4 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being shipped across Africa this August. The figure is expected to have reached 50 million by the end of the 2021. By January 2022 supplies will be ramped up to surpass 25 million per month.
AVAT partners selected the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for this pooled procurement for three reasons: first, as a single-shot vaccine, it is easier and cheaper to administer; second, the vaccine has a long shelf-life and withstands storage conditions which others don’t; and third, it is partly manufactured on the African continent, with fill-finish activities taking place in South Africa.
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