Luanda – At least 23. 2 million doses of vaccines against Covid-19 have been administered to date in Angola, the National Director for Public Health, Helga Freitas, said Wednesday.
From the total number of vaccinated, about 14.9 million people have had one dose (78.12% of the eligible population), 8.1 million had two doses (42.88%), while 1.3 million have had the booster or third dose (6.9%).
Helga Freitas disclosed the information during the covid-19 press conference, having explained that Angola has about 18.9 million inhabitants eligible for vaccination, all those who are 12 years of age or older.
The Health official mentioned that more than 4.1 million people have not taken any dose, 6.6 million have not taken the second dose, and 6.7 million people eligible for the booster dose or third dose have not taken it either, so the national coverage with one dose is 44.7% and with full doses is 24.54%.
Compared to the world average, the coverage with first doses in the world is 68% and with the basic scheme, 63%, and Angola is below, about 38%, the world average.
The average coverage in Africa with the first dose is 31% and with the complete basic scheme is 24.8%.
Helga Freitas said that Angola will continue to invest in the vaccination of the population as an essential tool for their protection, taking into account the increase in the number of covid-19 cases.
She went on to reveal that the Health Ministry, with the Provincial governments and partners, will start a campaign to intensify the vaccination against COVID-19 all over the country.
The official stressed that women are 14% less vaccinated than men, believing it to be a consequence of the news that circulated that vaccine against COVID-19 would cause widespread infertility of men and women, as well as death, in less than two years of all people who took the vaccine.
"Time is showing that the vaccine is extremely safe and effective and that our women, particularly those vaccinated, continue to have children, healthy ones, and they the hope and future of our nation. So I urge everyone, especially women, to wait no longer. Get vaccinated against COVID-19. We have posts and teams all over the country ready to serve you with quality and safety", Ms Freitas said.
She also informed that Angola is doing an integrated campaign of vaccination against Measles, Rubella, Poliomyelitis and with the administration of Vitamin A, for all children under 5 years and that in its first phase roughly 1.6 million children have been vaccinated in the provinces of Bengo, Benguela, Cabinda, Kwanza Norte, Kwanza Sul, Uige and Zaire, with 98% of vaccination coverage.
