Liberia receives over 300,000 Johnson & Johnson COVID 19 Vaccines through COVAX Facility

On July 25th, Liberia received a shipment of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the US government via COVAX collaboration with the African Union and Africa CDC and a number of implementing partners. With the 302,400 doses, the country will resume the vaccination campaign, which has been halted after vaccines previously received were used up amid case surge in in June and July.

National authorities have identified 20 per cent of the priority population to be targeted. The priority group includes health care workers, elderly people over 60, people with co-morbidities, refugees and other essential workers who cannot social distance due to the work they performed. So far, over 95,500 doses have been administered and approximately 9,200 people or 0.2 percent of the population are fully vaccinated.

The UN team, led by Resident Coordinator Niels Scott, continues to provide a wide variety of support to bring the health emergency under control. “This pandemic has again highlighted that health systems and investing in health system strengthening remains the foundation of a health society, healthy communities, and healthy economy”- Niels Scott, Resident Coordinator, Liberia

The UN Children’s Fund has been providing logistic support to get the vaccines into the country. UNICEF has been supporting with  transportation and  custom clearance of COVID-19 Vaccines;  cold chain system strengthening through procurement, transportation and distribution of Solar Direct Drives, refrigerated Vans and provision of PPEs; support with WASH facility rehabilitation in Starbase facility (COVID 19 treatment center)  and with Risk Communication & Community Engagement activities along with WHO- Jingles, radio talk shows, community engagement and  Interreligious council engagement

WHO support on COVID Response -Surveillance- (Contact tracing and case investigation, strengthening and expanding lab capacity, enhanced surveillance, Data generation and capacity building of surveillance Officers-case investigation and contacts follow up);Logistics – Procurement of essential supplies and equipment; Case management (Updating and revising of guidelines, Training of health care workers in Clinical care of COVID-19, technical assistance in the development of assessment tools for treatment unit and home based care); Infection prevention and control (Training, monitoring and provision of supplies); Vaccine Pillar- planning and deployment of vaccines, investigation of AEFI, incentives payment and rapid vaccine acceptance surveys)