Ambassador Hearne’s Speech for U.S. Government Vaccine Donation to Mozambique
July 26, 2021 | Maputo International Airport
Your Excellency, Dr. Armindo Tiago, Minister of Health;
Dear friends throughout Mozambique,
It is a privilege to join you here today in the spirit of partnership and goodwill as, together, we face a pandemic that has changed the world.
COVID-19 has shown us that no nation can act alone in the face of a global health crisis. We are now battling a powerful Delta variant that has created a surge in cases here in Mozambique and abroad. And now more than ever, vaccines are essential to saving lives.
That is why, on behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I am honored to formally hand over 302,400 Johnson & Johnson vaccines to the Government of the Republic of Mozambique and to the Mozambican people.
President Biden pledged to lead a coordinated, international COVID-19 vaccination effort so that one day, and one day soon, every nation will. have equal access to vaccines. I am proud to stand with Minister Tiago today to celebrate an important step towards making that pledge a reality in Mozambique.
The United States is your longstanding partner in health. Three decades of health cooperation made it possible for us to respond quickly and effectively to COVID-19.
Since the start of this pandemic, the United States has invested 38 million dollars to strengthen Mozambique’s resilience to this virus. That assistance has gone towards equipment, ventilators, and training, among many other efforts. And as the largest donor to COVAX, the global vaccine facility, the U.S. Government has taken the lead in working with the international community to get this virus under control.
In order to save lives, rebuild the global economy, and stop the threat of new variants, we must vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. These Johnson & Johnson vaccines are administered in one single dose, offering immunity to more people. And they do not require extremely cold storage, facilitating its distribution throughout the country. I encourage every Mozambican to get vaccinated as soon as vaccines are available to you, because overcoming this pandemic depends on our united efforts.
The United States stands together with Mozambique in hope and partnership. We are stronger together. And together we will overcome.
