France Donates 59,520 AstraZeneca Vaccines to South Sudan

The French government donated 59,520 doses of COVAX’s AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

The vaccines arrived in Juba, South Sudan on 31 August 2021 and were received at the airport by senior government officials led by Minister of Health, Ambassador of France, and representatives of WHO South Sudan and UNICEF South Sudan.

59,520 doses of the #AstraZeneca #COVID19 vaccine donated by French Government via #COVAX have just arrived in 🇸🇸. The vaccines were received at the airport by senior Government officials led by Minister of Health, D/Ambassador of France & @WHOSouthSudan & @unicefssudan Reps. pic.twitter.com/NSux8MrrtJ

— WHO South Sudan (@WHOSouthSudan) August 31, 2021

South Sudan received 132,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX facility in March 2021. South Sudan’s COVID-19 vaccination drive began in April 2021 with health workers getting their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine at Juba Teaching Hospital. The first person in the country to be vaccinated against the virus was the Minister of Health Elizabeth Achuei.

The first phase of the vaccinations targets healthcare workers as well as people aged 65 years and older, given their increased risk of severe disease and death due to a potential COVID-19 infection.

A person being vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine requires two doses to ensure optimal immune response against the COVID-19 virus. The COVID-19 vaccination in South Sudan will be provided on a voluntary basis and free of charge. All people receiving the vaccine will be asked to consent prior to being vaccinated.

South Sudan aims at vaccinating 40% of its population against COVID-19. The COVAX facility has committed to providing half of the required doses meaning 732,000 doses in total. Therefore, the vaccination must be done in phases as the vaccines arrive.