EU says Fiji will receive 108,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines under the COVAX Facility

The European Union says Fiji will receive 108,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines under the COVAX Facility which is a global initiative aimed at making sure low and middle-income countries get access to the vaccines.

The European Union and its member states as well as the European Union Investment Bank are some of the lead contributors to the COVAX Facility.

Fiji is the first Pacific island country to receive the vaccines through the facility and the 12,000 doses received last night will allow the start of the vaccination campaign in Fiji with those most at risk.

The EU says this delivery is part of the first wave of arrival that will continue in the coming months.

The Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation for the Pacific, Dr Erja Askola says the European Union is proud to join the Government of Fiji, the UN agencies and bilateral donors to make this happen.

Askola says they have contributed over FJD 5.4 billion to this facility to ensure international vaccine solidarity.

She says the first batch of vaccines is only the beginning and there will be much more.

The COVAX Facility aims to purchase 2 billion vaccine doses by the end of 2021, including at least 1.3 billion doses for low and middle-income country.