The recognition was made on Wednesday night, within the scope of the conference on the global impact of vaccines, which has been taking place since last Tuesday in the Spanish capital, according to a note from CIPRA, which VerAngola had access to.
"The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, was publicly praised this night [Wednesday] by the Global Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), in the voice of its president, Durão Barroso, for everything he has done in the efforts to vaccinate the Angolan population in the context of the covid-19 pandemic", reads the statement.
In recognition of his action, the head of state received the book "The Art of Saving a Life", in a ceremony attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, José Manuel Albares, and the Minister of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta, "in addition to prominent figures from Gavi, among researchers and promoters of the vaccination chain around the world".
The second day of the conference was also marked by a speech by João Lourenço, who informed that the Government invests around 25 million dollars annually in the purchase of vaccines.
"Since 2017, the Angolan State has assumed responsibility for maintaining the routine vaccination program independently, investing around 25 million dollars annually in the purchase of vaccines, as a guarantee that citizens have access to the vaccines necessary for a healthy life," said the President.
According to the head of state, "despite the numerous challenges posed by the country's limited health care infrastructure and vast geographical extension", "Angola has made notable progress in the administration of vaccines against covid-19".
João Lourenço also stressed that more than 25 million doses of vaccines "were successfully administered".
"By this time and within the scope of the flexibility of vaccination against covid-19, we took advantage of the experience and integrated this vaccine into routine vaccination posts. This process has also been ensured not only by the health units, but also by the mobile teams", he added.
For the President of the Republic, "even more commendable is the fact" that "84 percent coverage was achieved with at least one dose of the vaccine among" the eligible population, signaling the "commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of being of the" citizens.
In his speech, he also highlighted the fact that the Executive is "firmly committed and committed" to ensuring "the sustainability of the vaccination program, especially with regard to routine vaccination".
"The reality of our country that we tried to reflect highlights the achievements achieved, the challenges faced and the ongoing efforts in the area of immunization in Angola, highlighting the commitment of the Angolan Executive towards the well-being and health of all Angolans", he said.
Thus, he added that the Government "will maintain the same dedication in implementing the vaccination policy that it has been consistently implementing, in cases of routine vaccination and in the last three years, with regard to covid-19".
He also took the opportunity to mention that in the task of immunizing the population, especially children, they will continue to "rely on the contribution of all" partners, of which he highlighted Gavi, WHO, UNICEF and others who provide "a extremely important".
"Partnerships with Gavi and other Alliance partners such as WHO and UNICEF are extremely important for health in Angola, Africa and the world. These organizations provide essential support in the procurement process of medicines, vaccines and equipment from cold chain, ensuring the continuity and success of public health programs," he said.
The head of state, among other aspects in his speech, also recognized "the hard work and determination" of health professionals, the Defense and Security Forces and partners, "who tirelessly faced the complexities and logistical challenges to administer the vaccines to as many people as possible".
The Minister of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta, was also active on this second day of the event, having discussed the theme "One Million Children Vaccinated Globally", where she presented the strategy to immunize all children.
It should be noted that the conference started last Tuesday and runs until this Thursday in Madrid.
