Mozambique strengthens vaccination program with 70 cars and 669 motorcycles

Mozambique’s Ministry of Health will distribute 70 cars and 669 motorcycles to provincial departments this Wednesday as part of the Expanded Program of Vaccination (PAV), it said in a statement.

The cars were purchased with the support of the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, the department said in a statement.

The delivery of vehicles to provincial offices in Maputo will be led by Health Minister Armindo Tiago.

“The acquisition of 669 motorcycles is part of PAV’s annual plan for 2023 and they will benefit health facilities in 79 districts in the provinces of Niassa, Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Zambezia, Tete, Manica, Sofala, Inhambane and Gaza,” the government said in a joint statement Mozambique and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Mozambique’s health authorities recently vaccinated more than 2.2 million people against cholera in five days in areas hardest hit by the current outbreak, nearly full coverage ahead of schedule.

In previous statements to Luse, Health Ministry PAV head Leonildo Nhampossa said a total of 2,268,548 people over 1 year of age were vaccinated against cholera in four provinces between January 8 and 12.

The target group for this vaccination operation was 2,271,136 people, corresponding to the population living in the most vulnerable areas and the focus of the current outbreak, the Ministry of Health indicated.

According to the National Directorate of Public Health of Mozambique, the campaign targeted the population aged one year and over and was carried out in the districts of Chiure and Montepuez (Cabo Delgado province), Gil, Gurue and Mocuba (Zambezia), Magoe, Moatize and Zumbo (Tete) and Maringa (Sofala).