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The government has welcomed a donation of more than 1,200,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine from the COVAX Facility, which will primarily be used for people who are at high risk of infection and who have not yet had third vaccinations.

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In line with the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan, this latest shipment of AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will first be used to provide protection to priority groups, including people over 60 years of age, those with underlying health conditions, pregnant women, and health workers.

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Thereafter, the vaccines will be administered to other target groups, including those in remote and hard-to-reach areas where the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is particularly well-suited due to its single dose requirement.

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A handover ceremony for the vaccine at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane was attended by Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Phayvanh Keopaseuth; Ambassador-designate of France to Laos, Ms Siv Leng Chhuor; Japanese Ambassador to Laos, Mr Kenichi Kobayashi; Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the European Union Delegation to Laos, Mr Vincent Vire;  Honorary Consul of The Netherlands, Mr Ait Geurts; Health Environment Officer, WHO in Laos, Dr Oyuntogos Lkhasuren; UNICEF Representative a.i. to Laos, Ms Beate Dastel, and senior officials from the Ministry of Health.

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The shipment consists of individual dose-sharing donations from several countries through the COVAX Facility.

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Dose-sharing is a rapid way of closing the immediate supply gap that many countries around the world are facing as well as contributing to the COVAX Facility’s mission of ensuring global equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines during the pandemic..

Laos is being given 192,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine by France and 320,200 doses by Japan. Greece has donated 302,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the Netherlands has provided 460,800 doses.

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The arrival of these vaccines represents yet another important milestone in Laos’ fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the COVAX Facility’s mission to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines across the world, according to a press release from the Ministry of Health.

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Speaking at the handover ceremony, Dr Phayvanh said the vaccine will be used by the government to bolster efforts to vaccinate the Lao population against Covid-19 and that vaccines are the most important tool in the fight against the virus.

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As the outbreak in Laos spreads, the government is sourcing assistance from various sectors and friendly countries to supplement its own resources, he added.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
(Latest Update December 24, 2021)

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