The announcement was made on Thursday night at 4 de Fevereiro International Airport, in Luanda, during the delivery of the second shipment of vaccines donated by Portugal as part of the cooperation with Angola, comprising 134,000 doses of AstraZeneca, in addition to syringes, needles and other materials.
The Minister of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta, thanked the solidarity with the Angolan people, which "cement the bonds of friendship and cooperation" between the two countries, classifying Portugal as "a strategic partner" in the fight against the pandemic.
"This donation is a great support. We had information that very soon we will receive other batches of vaccines, in larger quantities and we will probably have half a million vaccines donated by Portugal", she highlighted.
He added that the vaccines, which expire in October, will have "the best use": they will be distributed throughout the country to complete the vaccination schedule where it is necessary to administer second doses, but most will be in Luanda, and should start to be administered from today, he explained.
"What we want to guarantee to our population is that these vaccines are safe and on time," said the responsible for Health.
The ambassador of Portugal, Pedro Pessoa e Costa, said that next week more 185,000 vaccines should be sent to Angola, a donation that will be gradually increased until reaching 500,000 doses.
"This means the respect we have for Angola and the Angolans and the recognition for what is being done in the fight against covid-19. We know that we will only all be saved when we are all vaccinated", stressed the diplomat.
Pedro Pessoa e Costa added that the donation will be completed by the end of the year and could happen next month. "We are working on this with the Angolan authorities and with the minister," he said.
The ambassador added that the authorities are also continuing to work on solutions to guarantee the attribution of the European digital certificate to vaccinated citizens in Angola.
The creation of digital certificates is also being handled in Angola, indicated Sílvia Lutucuta.
"We believe that, in the short term, we will have resolved this issue," she stressed, noting that vaccinated people can also be infected if they are not properly cared for, so this does not mean the end of restrictions.
"As long as we don't have a considerable number of people vaccinated, above 70 percent, we will still maintain the measures in force in our country," she warned, noting that Angola currently has only 6 percent vaccinated.
The aid is part of the second phase of the Action Plan in the health response to the covid-19 pandemic between Portugal and Portuguese-speaking African countries and Timor-Leste, which provides for the availability of at least 5 percent of vaccines against the disease. acquired by Portugal.
The operationalization of this action is the result of the joint effort of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, namely through Camões - Institute for Cooperation and Language and the Embassy of Portugal in Luanda, and the Ministry of Health, through the General Directorate of Health (DGS) , from the National Authority for Medicines and Health Products (INFARMED) and also from the 'Task Force' of the National Vaccination Plan against Covid-19 in Portugal.
Portugal to donate half a million vaccines against covid-19 to Angola
Portugal will donate half a million vaccines to Angola as part of the fight against covid-19, by the end of this year, officials from both countries announced.
