The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health in collaboration with partners has officially launched a nationwide Coronavirus Vaccination campaign today, April 1, 2021 in Liberia.
The nationwide coronavirus immunization campaign was held at the famous Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, with several dignitaries in attendance. The historic event was graced by dignitaries from EU Embassy, UNICEF, USAID, NTN, Rotary, US and Guinea Embassies, members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, among others.
As a way of exemplifying altruistic leadership and demonstrating how safe the vaccines are, Liberian Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah was first be immunized as almost every interested person, including Dr. Peter Clement, WHO Country Representative to Liberia and other high profiled government officials as well as participants who graced the occasion.
Earlier, Dr. Jallah admonished Liberians from all walks of life to join the immunization campaign to keep safe from contracting the virus and to ensure that the virus is minimized among the populace.
“We are calling on all you Liberians to join us in this campaign in order to end this global pandemic. They are saying pandemic because this virus is all over the world, which Liberia is of no exception”, she averred.
Prior to the immunization campaign, Liberia received a total shipment of 123,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines thru the COVAX Initiative, a partnership among WHO, CDC, UNICEF, USAID, AU, GAVI, etc., the Ministry of Health is pleased to begin immunization of its citizens across the Country.
Explaining plans leading to the Coronavirus immunization exercise, Dr. Jallah said health workers who are front liners to the fight against the deadly virus will be prioritized and followed by members of the Honourable Legislature; 60 years old and above as well as people with comorbidity.
Meanwhile, the Liberian Health Minister named John F. Kennedy Medical Center, Redemption, J.D.J., and 14 Military hospitals are public health facilities the immunization will be administered; while SOS, Catholic and ELWA Hospitals as well as the UN Clinic were few private health facilities included for the vaccination. In separate remarks, participants at the launch lauded the government of Liberia and the Ministry of Health for the fight against the virus and accepted the immunization.
The World is in the midst of the pandemic. As such, the Ministry and partners have been working together on the response—tracking the virus, advising on critical interventions, distributing preventive COVID-19 medical supplies to our health facilities—in order to minimize the virus among the populace. However, the vaccine is a critical new tool in the battle against the virus.
We are confident to say that the Vaccines is safe and encouraging Liberians to be vaccinated because all of the Vaccines have been tested in state of the art laboratories, tried in thousands of renowned clinics and approved by WHO.
Besides, the same Vaccines are being administered all over the world, including countries in Africa like Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guinea, etc.