ANTANANARIVO – The U.S. government donated 302,750 doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to Madagascar as part of the Administration’s global effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The vaccines are part of the U.S. pledge to provide at least 25 million of 80 million doses globally to Africa. The U.S. government coordinated closely with the African Union, Africa CDC, and COVAX on the country allocations. COVAX supported delivery of these vaccine doses, which arrived in Antananarivo on July 27, 2021.

“Sharing these vaccines will not only help protect the Malagasy people from COVID-19, but also begin reducing barriers to building back the Malagasy economy,” Amy Hyatt, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to the Republic of Madagascar and the Union of the Comoros, said.

These 302,750 doses are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to share U.S. vaccine supply with the world. As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic at home and work to end the pandemic worldwide, President Biden has promised that the United States will be an arsenal of vaccines for the world.

“From the beginning of my presidency, we have been clear-eyed that we need to attack this virus globally as well. This is about our responsibility — our humanitarian obligation to save as many lives as we can — and our responsibility to our values. We’re going to help lead the world out of this pandemic, working alongside our global partners,” President Biden said.

Throughout the pandemic, the United States has worked closely with the Government of Madagascar to protect public health and strengthen the response to COVID-19. The United States has provided $2.5 million in emergency funding to support the Government of Madagascar’s COVID-19 response, supported the delivery and rollout of vaccines, and contributed $5 million to the Tosika Fameno cash transfer program to ensure vulnerable families in the most affected cities had enough to eat.

Press Release by the U.S. Embassy Antananarivo

ANTANANARIVO – The United States congratulates Madagascar on the successful arrival of 250,000 doses of the Covishield COVID-19 vaccine on May 8. This shipment was made possible through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The United States recently announced an initial $2 billion obligation — out of a total planned $4 billion — to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to support the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, making us the single largest contributor to global COVID-19 vaccine access. “I want to congratulate the Government of Madagascar for taking action to participate in COVAX and bring much needed vaccines to the Malagasy people,” U.S. Ambassador Michael Pelletier said. “The United States is proud to be the largest contributor to COVAX, helping to ensure the equitable delivery of safe and effective vaccines in Madagascar and around the globe.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that an infectious disease outbreak anywhere is a threat to people everywhere. It is a global problem that requires a global solution, and we are committed to collaborating with partners and governments to support global COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

The U.S. contributions to COVAX, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will support the purchase and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations in 92 low- and middle-income countries. This support is critical to controlling the pandemic, slowing the emergence of new variants, and helping to restart the global economy. The United States will also continue to work with international donors to build further support for the COVAX Facility’s critical needs.

Throughout the pandemic, the United States has worked closely with the Government of Madagascar like “mpirahalahy mianala” to protect public health and strengthen the response to COVID-19. The United States has provided $2.5 million in emergency funding to support the Government of Madagascar’s COVID-19 response and repurposed $2.2 million worth of USAID health projects to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. This COVID response is just a part of U.S. government’s engagement in Madagascar’s health sector, where we are the largest single-country donor. In 2020 alone, the U.S. government provided $72 million to fund USAID’s health activities in Madagascar.

Source: U.S. Embassy Antananarivo / USAID Madagascar