ACCRA, Ghana

Ghana on Sunday received 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from Germany.

Deputy Health Minister Mahama Asei Seini said: “I am happy to inform Ghanaians that 1.5 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses were sent to Ghana by Germany,” according to the Information Ministry.

Germany promised to donate the vaccines when Chancellor Angela Merkel held bilateral talks with Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo in August. Initially, the European country agreed to send 1.2 million doses, but increased it by 300,000.

AstraZeneca was the first vaccine to arrive in Ghana in February when the country stepped up efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

A few days ago, US Vice President Kamala Harris had also pledged to support Ghana with 1.3 million Pfizer vaccines. The Pfizer vaccines are expected in the West African country in October.

According to the Our World in Data tracking website, Ghana has administered 1.62 million vaccine doses since March, and just 2.5% of the over 30 million people are fully vaccinated.

Ghana has so far recorded a total of 126,146 COVID-19 cases and 1,139 related deaths.