501,200 Dozes of the COVID-19 Vaccine Funded by Japan Arrived to Tajikistan

DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN. Early  morning on February 21, Tajikistan received 501,200 doses of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines as part of the financial support from the Government of Japan. These doses of AstraZeneka vaccines were delivered by UNICEF through the COVAX facility.

Following the arrival of the vaccine, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population organized a handover ceremony at the Republican center for Immunoprophylactic with the participation of Deputy Minister of Health, Mr. Amirzoda, H.E. Mr. Toshihiro AIKI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan and Ms. Zainab Al-Azzawi, UNICEF Deputy Representative in the Republic of Tajikistan.

During the ceremony Mr. Amirzoda emphasized the significant contribution of the Government of Japan and UNICEF in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 on the health system and protecting lives of people in Tajikistan.

In his turn, H.E Mr. AIKI indicated that Health Sector is one of priority areas in Japan’s ODA (Official Development Assistance) for Tajikistan. Also he notes that Japan is committed to work closely with the Government of Tajikistan to improve the epidemic situation in Tajikistan.

"I hope that 501,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines provided through the COVAX facility will contribute to save the lives of people of Tajikistan."-H.E. Mr. Toshihiro AIKI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Tajikistan.

Since the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination in Tajikistan, the COVAX facility already delivered over including 9.6 mln doses (72.2%) to Tajikistan and 67% of the country’s population received two doses of the vaccine. Tajikistan became the first country in Central Asia to receive COVID-19 vaccine from the Government of Japan.

"We are very grateful for the support of the Government of Japan in ensuring people in Tajikistan can access live-saving COVID-19 vaccines at a time when many other low- and middle-income countries still lag far behind in vaccinating the population. With this shipment we also see how Tajikistan is being supported by the global community, through the COVAX Facility. Let us celebrate this as a moment of global solidarity in responding to the pandemic and ensuring safety of the children and families in Tajikistan." noted Ms. Zainab Al-Azzawi, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Tajikistan.

"With this shipment we also see how Tajikistan is being supported by the global community, through the COVAX Facility. Let us celebrate this as a moment of global solidarity in responding to the pandemic and ensuring safety of the children and families in Tajikistan."-Ms. Zainab Al-Azzawi, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Tajikistan.

About COVAX:

The COVAX Facility is co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI), GAVI - the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF as a key global delivery partner. COVAX is the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history. Up to the date COVAX delivered over 1 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccines to 144 countries.