Fiji becomes first country in the Pacific to receive COVID-19 vaccines
The first delivery of the COVAX vaccines from the COVAX facility arrived on March 6, marking a historic moment in ending the global pandemic.
Congratulations to the Government of Fiji and its people on receiving the first batch of the COVAX vaccines. On March 6, Fiji became the first country in the Pacific to receive the vaccines under the COVAX initiative.
The first batch of 12,000 life-saving vaccine doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been shipped and delivered to Fiji by the COVAX Facility in an unprecedented effort to provide at least 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines globally by the end of 2021.
"This is just the start. The vaccine is being brought here by the COVAX facility led by GAVI and supported by the WHO and its partners. It's designed to support the most vulnerable including Fiji's healthcare workers. We're excited with the arrival of the vaccine to Fiji. It's an important part of our global effort to address this pandemic and it's critical that the vaccines arrive here in the Pacific." - UNICEF Pacific Representative, Sheldon Yett.
Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, in receiving the vaccines at the Nadi Airport, stated that this is a small yet important step towards protecting Fijians from a plague that has claimed millions of lives around the world.
“These vaccines represent more than the way back to normal life; they are the shot of life our economy, our industries, and thousands of Fijian breadwinners need. It is about bringing back jobs, reconnecting families across borders and reclaiming Fiji’s rightful place in the world,” Prime Minister Bainimarama stated.
The vaccines and other equipment are being transported across the world by UNICEF as part of the efforts by the COVAX Facility to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), with UNICEF leading on procurement and delivery of vaccines.
It is the only global initiative that is working with governments and manufacturers to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are available worldwide to both higher-income and lower-income countries.
