The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has secured 1.7 billion FCFA to strengthen cold chain systems in Gabon for the conservation and storage of Covid-19 vaccines.
The funding from the government of Japan is expected to strengthen Gabon’s institutional capacity to extend quality vaccination to the most vulnerable communities across the Central African country.
It is understood that the emergency aid is part of a total package of $20 million to be distributed to Botswana, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, Namibia, Niger, South Africa, Tanzania and Togo to support vaccination against Covid-19.
‘With 1,014,993 inhabitants eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, Gabon has a wide variety of vaccines estimated at three million doses to protect its population’, UNICEF said in a statement.
‘This tripartite cooperation between the Gabonese government, the Japanese government and UNICEF will support innovative and effective strategies to improve the supply of vaccination services to populations and effectively fight against [Covid-19] in Gabon’.
UNICEF noted that only 24.81 percent of Gabon’s population have been fully vaccinated while 29 percent have received their first jabs.
The Gabonese government launched its Covid-19 vaccination campaign on 23 March, 2021, in all provinces of the country.
Source: UNICEF Gabon
Photo source: UNICEF Sao Tome
