The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Sierra Leone has on 9th August 2022 symbolically handed over another consignment of COVID-19 vaccines donated to the Government and people of Sierra Leone by the government of the PRC to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation at a presentation ceremony held at the line ministry at Youyi Building in Freetown. The consignments according to Chinese Embassy officials in Freetown arrived in Sierra Leone from China on 22nd July this year.
Officially handing over the consignment of COVID-19 vaccines to the Deputy Minister of MoHS, Mrs. Princess Dugba the Permanent Secretary and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Charge d’Affaires Chinese Embassy in Freetown, Mr. Li Xiaoyong, reiterated China’s continuous commitments towards supporting Sierra Leone in diverse sectors. He said the consignment is in fulfillment of the Chinese Government’s promise to aid Sierra Leonean Government and people in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Li Xiaoyong said China is the largest provider of COVID-19 vaccines to foreign countries, and has provided a total of two billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations, accounting for one-third of the total amount of vaccines used worldwide outside of China. He furthered that China will donate another two million doses of vaccines to Sierra Leone in 2022 on top of the one million doses promised in 2021. This special batch of vaccine he explained is provided under an initiative made by Professor Peng Liyuan, the wife of H. E. President Xi Jinping, to improve vaccination among women, children and youth.
For her part, the Deputy Minister of Health, Mrs. Dugba profusely thanked the Chinese Government for its continuous commitment and support in helping Sierra Leonean people to combat COVID-19, especially for providing COVID-19 vaccines at the earliest availability.
She expressed government’s profound gratitude to China for providing the new batch of vaccines together with an aiding fund to activate the four mobile clinics to bring fundamental medical services including COVID-19 vaccinations to people living in hard to reach areas in the country. She reassured the Chinese Embassy in Freetown that her ministry will strive to boost vaccination using, Chinese vaccines especially among women, children and youth.
