U.S. Embassy
Avenida Kenneth Kaunda, 193
Caixa Postal, 783
Maputo
PRESS RELEASE
The U.S. Government Commits $4 Billion for the COVAX Facility and the Global COVID-19 Response
February 23, 2021– On February 19, 2021, U.S. President Joseph Biden announced $4 billion in U.S. Government funding to the COVID-19 Vaccines Access Facility (COVAX), which supports access to safe and effective vaccines for 92 low- and middle-income countries. This $4 billion contribution will support the purchase and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations, including frontline health care workers. This investment is critical to controlling the pandemic and slowing the emergence of new variants as well as helping restart the global economy.
Two billion dollars in initial funding will be available immediately and an additional $2 billion will be released as other donors contribute with increased financial commitments to this important effort. In his remarks to the United Nations Security Council, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “COVID has shown us that no nation can act alone in the face of a pandemic. The United States will work with our partners across the globe to expand manufacturing and distribution capacity and to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines, including to marginalized populations.”
In Mozambique, the U.S. Government is providing an additional $3.7 million to help guarantee the country’s vaccine readiness per COVAX requirements. This includes planning the delivery and distribution of the vaccines throughout Mozambique, and technical assistance in the provision of comprehensive medical treatment to patients with COVID-19, including in the safe and effective utilization of oxygen. Identified by the Ministry of Health as a critical priority, oxygen is key to treating COVID-19 patients with advanced or severe symptoms. The U.S. Government donated 50 ventilators to the Ministry of Health and invested more than $20.4 million in training, supplies, and equipment to support Mozambique’s COVID-19 response.
The U.S. Government’s COVID-19 assistance supports the Government of Mozambique’s efforts to provide quality healthcare to all Mozambicans and represents a critical component of broader U.S. Government assistance. In close collaboration with the Government of Mozambique, the U.S. Government provides more than $500 million in annual assistance to improve the quality of education and healthcare, promote economic prosperity, and support the overall development of the nation.
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