USAID promises continued support to Tz in fight against COVID-19

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has promised to continue partnering with the Tanzania government in order to achieve the country’s national COVID-19 vaccination goal and keep the Tanzania people safe.

Through the US government’s initiative for Global Vaccine Access, or Global VAX, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) COVID-19 response in Tanzania, is providing USD 25 million in additional support which is helping to accelerate vaccination efforts.

This was said over the weekend in Iringa by the Mission Director for USAID Tanzania Kate Somvongsiri during music concert aimed at educating and sensitizing on the COVID-19 vaccine uptake. The campaign was organized by the Ministry of Health through the Health Promotion unit together with FHI360 through the EpiC project with the fund from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

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She said that Global VAX funding is supporting activities that include investing in logistics to safely store and transport vaccines, strengthening health care workers ability to support vaccination efforts, monitoring vaccine safety and ensuring hard-to-reach rural populations have access to vaccination.

Somvongsiri added that to date, as the largest vaccine donor to Tanzania, the U.S government has donated more than seven million vaccines, to both Johnson &Johnson (Jensen) and Pfizer and now is focusing on getting those shots in arms.

Covid-19 vaccination in Tanzania

“We are proud and grateful for the efforts made by the government and particularly in the Iringa region to reach a current vaccination rate of 44 percent of the eligible population, up from ten percent just over two months ago”.

She also commended the government of Tanzania for reaching a national rate of 51 percent of the eligible population adding that, it is a huge achievement especially when looking back to the national vaccination rate of 15% just over two months ago.

“But there is more work to do to reach the 70% target, and we will not rest until every eligible person is vaccinated…,” Somvongsiri said that USAID is looking forward to continuing working together with the government and the people of Tanzania to reach collective goals.

Vaccines are proven to prevent disease transmission that will keep Tanzanians safe from this continuing threat, and are one of the best tools to fight the COVID 19 pandemic.

The activities include communicating about health risks and combating mis-and dis-information about COVID 19, enhancing communities’ abilities to prevent and control infections.

The Regional Medical Officer of Iringa Region (RMO), Dr. Mohamed Mang’una giving the status of vaccination in Iringa region, said that Iringa region is one of the regions in the country that is continuing with the exercise of vaccination of COVID-19 in order to protect the people against the corona disease.

He said that since President Samia Suluhu Hassan launched the campaign of vaccination against COVID-19, in August 2021 at the national level, Iringa Region started and launched the campaign on August 4, 2021 and until May 2022, the region has vaccinated approximately 76,632 people which is equivalent to 11 percent of the regional target which is 671,974 in 10 months.

“With support from the EpiC project through funding from USAID which started June 2022, we have been able to vaccinate 298, 511 equivalent to 44 percent of the regional target, an increase of 33 percent for the period of two months only.” said Dr Mang’una.

Speaking at the same event, the Ag. Assistant Director Health Promotion, from the Ministry of Health, Dr Amalberga Kasangala, commended USAID for its contribution to the government in vaccination support.

Dr. Kasangala also congratulated other development stakeholders, including the EpiC project, for supporting the government’s efforts in terms of community participation and ensuring that they get vaccinated.

Dr. Kasangala added that through the four-month campaign, they have been able to reach 51 percent of vaccinations in Tanzania Mainland and Islands (Zanzibar) and by December, they are determined to reach 70 percent of the vaccination rate as the World Health Organization (WHO) wants.

In Tanzania, FHI 360 builds the capacity of both national and local governments to deliver integrated health and social services that address the country’s most pressing human development challenges.

FHI 360 Country Director Waziri Nyoni said that FHI 360 partners with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to support systems strengthening, build capacity and develop national strategies, guidelines and tools for improving the delivery of public-sector programs.

Nyoni said that at the community level, FHI 360 works with civil society and private-sector partners to promote resource mobilization and the fiscal and programmatic accountability of community-based organizations and local government authorities.

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