This archive report was first published on 26 July 2021.
On Saturday, Tanzania received its first batch of 1,058,400 single-shot Janssen Covid-19 vaccines from the US, marking a significant step in the country's fight against the pandemic.
The vaccines, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, arrived at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam and were received by Health Minister Dorothy Gwajima, Foreign Affairs Minister Liberata Mulamula, and US Ambassador to Tanzania Donald J. Wright.
According to Dr. Gwajima, the vaccine has been certified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Tanzania's health agency, and is safe for use.
“Priority groups as outlined in the guidelines include health workers, adults 50 years and older, those with chronic diseases,” Dr. Gwajima said.
The vaccines will be stored at the Medical Store Department (MSD) in Dar es Salaam until the immunisation campaign begins, after which they will be available at healthcare centres and other special centres set up to facilitate inoculation.
Ambassador Wright stated that the US is sharing the vaccines to save lives and help in fighting the pandemic.
