Maseru, Lesotho, July 23, 2021: U.S. Embassy Maseru announces the donation by the United States Government of 302,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 single-shot vaccine to the Kingdom of Lesotho as part of the U.S. government’s global efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The donated vaccines are part of the U.S. pledge to initially provide at least 25 million of 80 million doses globally with Africa. The U.S. government coordinated closely with the African Union and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on the country allocations. The vaccine doses arrived via COVAX in Lesotho on Friday, July 23, 2021.
This donation will help protect the Basotho people from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and begin reducing barriers to building back the country’s economy. The United States has provided nearly $6 million (approximately 86 million Maloti) to the COVID-19 response in Lesotho, focusing on COVID-19 testing, clinical care, surveillance, and vaccine preparedness.
“Over the last year, the United States has continued its global leadership in public health and the international COVID-19 response. We have moved swiftly to help the Kingdom of Lesotho control the spread of COVID-19, and we will continue to support the vaccine rollout with trusted implementing partners and the Ministry of Health,” said Ambassador Gonzales.
These 302,400 doses are part of our commitment to share U.S. vaccine supply with the world. As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic at home and work to end the pandemic worldwide, President Biden has promised that the United States will be an arsenal of vaccines for the world.
As President Biden said, “From the beginning of my presidency, we have been clear-eyed that we need to attack this virus globally as well. This is about our responsibility — our humanitarian obligation to save as many lives as we can — and our responsibility to our values. We’re going to help lead the world out of this pandemic, working alongside our global partners.”
The U.S. government is committed to working with partners and governments to support global COVID-19 vaccination efforts, with a focus on vaccinating vulnerable populations. This support is critical to controlling the pandemic, slowing the emergence of new variants, and helping to restart the global economy.