As part of a donation by the Belgian Government to Uganda, on Wednesday, September 22, Brussels Airlines transported 153,000 Astra-Zeneca COVID-19 vaccines to Entebbe, using an Airbus A330-300 registered OO-SFE.
The cargo was received by Rudi Veestraeten – Ambassador of Belgium to Uganda, Tom Vanneste – Resident Representative of ENABEL and Geert Lemmen – Country Manager Uganda for Brussels Airlines.
After the transportation of the vaccines by air, ENABEL takes further care of the logistic aspects with the donated doses to aid in the vaccination of teachers, as the country gears up for schools reopening again.
“Brussels Airlines is the gateway to Africa, and we are proud to help the Belgian Government in the fast transportation of this vaccine donation to Uganda. Thanks to the close cooperation with the representatives of the Belgian government in both Belgium and Uganda, we can contribute to the increase of the vaccination rate in Africa and do our bit to help in reopening the schools here in Uganda. We look forward to shipping more vaccine donations in the near future,” said Geert Lemmen, Country Manager Uganda at Brussels Airlines
In the coming weeks, Brussels Airlines will transport another 190,000 Astra-Zeneca vaccines donated by the Belgian government within the framework of the COVAX initiative, in cooperation with UNICEF.
The airline is also among major European airlines helping UNICEF in its historic mission to deliver COVID-19 vaccines, with the Humanitarian Airfreight Initiative, hoping to deliver critical supplies to over 100 countries.
The initiative is in support of the COVAX Facility, the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation ever undertaken aimed at providing COVID-19 vaccines to all countries across the world, regardless of their wealth.
Co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance and the World Health Organization, alongside delivery partner UNICEF, COVAX is working to provide 2 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2021.
By Victor Shalton Odhiambo
