Madrid - The holding of a thematic panel related to the future of Africa, attended by the Angolan minister of Health, Silvia Lutucuta, marked the first day of the High Level Conference on the Impact of Vaccination, taking place until Thursday, in Madrid, capital of Spain.
During the panel, called "Africa tomorrow, health, prosperity and equality", the Angolan government official spoke of the country's advances regarding this, having highlighted, in particular, the government's strategy to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
The minister revealed the different ways Angola used to get access to Covid-19 vaccines, highlighting the digital logistics platform for routine vaccine management known as Logistimo SCM/IOTA.
Sílvia Lutucuta informed about the implementation of the National Vaccination Campaign against Measles, Polio, and the administration of vitamin A.
She also highlighted the fact that Angola has vaccinated around 2,560,000 children under 5 years old with an administrative coverage close to 90% and protected around 600,000 people against the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the first day of the conference was marked by the speech of the Spanish Foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, who highlighted his country's efforts to increase the purchase of vaccines.
He informed that Spain made available 230 million Euros for the next three years with the goal of ensuring the well-being of other societies, adding that his country maintains close cooperation with middle-income countries aiming to contribute for the prevention and eradication of pandemics in these states.
The official reminded that in the recent years the Iberian Peninsula country assumed the commitment with the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), a initiative from the World Health Organization (WHO), GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which has made it possible to collect and donate 70 million Euros that have been converted into vaccines.
Besides these two events, throughout the day, GAVI promoted also in Madrid other forums for different representatives from multilateral organizations, governments, civil society, companies, and universities to discuss issues.
The future of global immunization is the basis of discussions, including new sources of financing for vaccines, by both Spain and Global Vaccine Alliance, which are the two co-organizers of the Madrid Conference.
According to the organizers, the second day will be marked by several thematic panels, with an address by the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, scheduled for Thursday, as well as an audience that will be granted to him by the leader of GAVI, Durão Barroso. FMA/AL/MRA/jmc
