The below is attributable to Spokesperson Rebecca Chalif:
Today, Administrator Samantha Power held a virtual meeting with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to share that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide a surge of COVID-19 resources to Tanzania through the U.S. Government’s Initiative for Global Vaccine Access (Global VAX). Announced in December 2021, Global VAX is a whole-of-government effort around the world to turn vaccines in vials into vaccinations in arms.
During their meeting, Administrator Power described USAID’s ongoing efforts to work with partners to accelerate vaccine delivery and uptake across sub-Saharan Africa and discussed how Global VAX could support the Tanzanian government in expanding and accelerating its vaccination efforts. USAID is planning to program $25 million that will support expanded and new activities to help increase vaccination rates. These funds are in addition to ongoing investments by the United States in Tanzania to prevent, treat, and monitor COVID-19, and to build health security capacities.
The Administrator commended President Hassan for encouraging Tanzanians to get vaccinated, launching a COVID-19 Vaccination Acceleration Plan, setting ambitious goals to vaccinate 60 percent of the eligible population by June 2022. President Hassan provided her perspective on Tanzania’s COVID-19 vaccination progress and indicated that Tanzania is well-positioned to accelerate its COVID-19 vaccination efforts.
Administrator Power and President Hassan also discussed the close partnership between the United States and Tanzania and their ongoing collaboration in the health sector, as well as in education, agriculture, environment, and democratic governance.