Kigali, 18 August 2021— The Ministry of Health received the first shipment of 489,060 Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine doses from the United States Government as part of the US administration’s global efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. One more shipment of 300,690 doses is expected on Friday August 20th in addition to the one of 188,370 doses received today.

“We are grateful to the US Government for these vaccines. As Rwanda rolls out vaccinations across the country to save lives and mitigate the harmful impact of the pandemic, these doses are much-needed and will put to good use immediately,” said Dr Daniel Ngamije, Rwanda Minister of Health.

Rwanda is the first country to receive doses from the 500 million dose pledge that Biden made at the G7.

“The United States is pleased to provide these COVID-19 vaccine doses and to lead the world in bringing an end to this global pandemic. Your health is our health and our health is your health,” said Peter H. Vrooman U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda.

In addition to frontline personnel including Community Health Workers, Rwanda has started vaccinating Rwandans and residents aged 40 and above, as well as priority risk groups including pregnant women, those with underlying health conditions and the elderly to whom vaccines are administered in their homes by mobile teams. So far, more than 950,000 people have been vaccinated.