U.S. Delivers Single-Shot J&J COVID-19 Vaccines to Hard-Hit West Africa

ADF STAFF

With Nigeria confronting violence in the north, incessant flooding in Lagos, and a spate of mass school kidnappings, the country needs any help it can get to halt the spread of COVID-19.

Through COVAX, the global plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccines equitably, Nigeria has received 7.8 million coronavirus vaccines, the most among West African nations, many of which are battling the highly transmissible delta variant. COVAX delivered Nigeria’s first vaccines March 2.

The nation most recently received more than 3.9 million vaccine doses donated by the United States government and delivered through COVAX on August 1. The pandemic had killed 2,160 Nigerians as of August 1, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Home to 201 million people, Nigeria is in its third phase of the pandemic.

“Vaccination in Nigeria should soon begin with the arrival of Moderna vaccines, thanks to the United States government,” Nigerian Health Minister Osagie Ehanire said during a coronavirus briefing August 2, Reuters reported.

In February, Ghana became the first country in the world to receive COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX. Two days later, neighboring Côte d’Ivoire was the second country to receive the free vaccines. Ghana has received 950,000 doses via COVAX. The most recent delivery of 350,000 vaccines was made May 7, according to Reuters.

The country’s vaccination rollout strategy has been hailed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for getting vaccines to remote areas with drones and promoting public trust in the shots’ efficacy and safety.

“We have a migratory population that travels routinely from north to south across the country so their animals can graze,” Dr. Francis Kasolo, WHO representative in Ghana, told the African Press Association. “Just as we have done with routine immunization, vaccination stations along their travel routes have been set up so that these populations can also access COVID-19 vaccines.”

Kasolo added that Ghana’s long history of dealing with other diseases has strengthened its approach to COVID-19.

“Measles was a particularly devastating disease here, and citizens understand how measles vaccines reduced mortality,” he said. “So we used this as a base for our advocacy efforts with the public to build confidence and drive uptake.”

On July 20, the U.S. government donated 151,200 Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 doses to Senegal. The country has received 659,200 shots through COVAX, Reuters reported.

Senegalese officials say residents who were once swayed by misinformation about vaccines are now lining up to receive the shots.

“At the beginning, there were people who gave false information, but when people noticed an increase of contaminations and deaths, people understood that only vaccination can save them,” Bamba Fall, mayor of the Medina municipality in Dakar, told The Associated Press.

The following is a Reuters breakdown of total COVAX-delivered coronavirus vaccines to West African countries:

• Benin has received 446,400 shots. COVAX delivered 302,400 Johnson & Johnson vaccines July 26.
• Burkina Faso has received 266,200 shots. COVAX delivered 151,200 Johnson & Johnson vaccines July 21.
• Cabo Verde has received 24,000 AstraZeneca shots.
• Cote d’Ivoire has received 504,000 AstraZeneca shots.
• The Gambia has received 187,200 Johnson & Johnson shots. The most recent delivery of 151,200 Johnson & Johnson vaccines arrived July 21.
• Guinea has received 194,400 AstraZeneca shots.
• Guinea-Bissau has received 28,800 AstraZeneca shots.
• Liberia has received 398,400 shots. The most recent delivery of 302,400 Johnson & Johnson shots arrived July 25.
• Mali has received 396,000 AstraZeneca shots.
• Niger has received 506,200 shots. The most recent delivery of 151,200 Johnson & Johnson vaccines arrived July 21.
• Sierra Leone has received 96,000 AstraZeneca vaccines.

Togo has received 206,310 shots. The most recent delivery of 50,310 Pfizer vaccines arrived May 29.