LUSAKA – The Embassy of the United States in Zambia is pleased to announce the arrival of 336,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine that the U.S is sharing with Zambia through COVAX. We are sharing these doses safely, equitably, and with no strings attached. We are doing this with the singular objective of saving lives.
This batch brings the number of doses of the J&J COVID-19 doses provided to Zambia to 638,400 (the first arrived on July 21, 2021). Arriving at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, via COVAX, today, October 20, this total donation of the vaccines is the largest by a single country to Zambia to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Safe and effective vaccines are our best tool to end the pandemic, and the United States has committed to making available 1.1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses worldwide. To date, the United States has delivered more than 192 million doses of vaccine to more than 100 countries. This historic vaccine donation to 92 Gavi Advance Market Commitment economies and African Union Member States will continue to fulfill U.S. President Biden’s commitment to strengthen the fight against the global pandemic.
As President Biden has said: the United States is committed to bringing the same urgency to international vaccination efforts that we have demonstrated at home. We are sharing these vaccines to save lives and to lead the world in bringing an end to the pandemic.
We look forward to continued coordination with the African Union and Africa’s CDC to deliver these doses across the continent through the COVAX facility via their established logistical channels.