On 20 March 2021, Lao PDR received its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine of 132,000 doses which was shipped by air to the Wattay International Airport in Vientiane from Pune, India. This batch of Oxford vaccines is the first of the total of 480,000 doses being planned for delivery to Lao PDR via the COVAX initiative this year to cover about 20 percent of the total population.
“I would like to extend my warmest gratitude to the COVAX facility and our partners, Gavi, UNICEF, and WHO, for their tremendous as well as valuable support in procuring this latest batch of COVID-19 vaccines. With the arrival of this shipment of vaccines, Lao PDR takes another step forward in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic,” said H.E. Associate Professor Dr. Bounkong Syhavong, Minister of Health in Laos.
According to the country’s National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NVDP), this initial batch of vaccines will be used by the Government of Lao PDR to first immunize priority groups in the country who are at greater risk of exposure to COVID-19 and those who are most likely to develop severe symptoms from the infection.
This includes frontline healthcare workers, older adults above the age of 60, and people with underlying health conditions. Some essential workers will also be prioritized based on the nature of the job and high-risk of exposure to COVID-19 such as workers at points of entry and in quarantine centers.
In addition to the vaccines, Lao PDR received yesterday 84,000 syringes and 840 safety boxes as well procured by UNICEF, which will enable the Government of Lao PDR to commence its vaccination campaign targeting these priority groups.
The arrival of the vaccines provided by the COVAX Facility is a game-changer for Lao PDR’s ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and shows what is possible when there is a spirit of solidarity among the international community to collectively address this common threat. These COVID-19 vaccines have been carefully reviewed by WHO and assessed for quality, safety and efficacy; we are so pleased that Lao PDR has access to these vaccines just one month following their Emergency Use Listing (EUL), said Dr. Mark Jacobs, WHO Representative to Lao PDR.”
No country will be safe from the pandemic until all countries are protected. The arrival of the vaccines from COVAX in Lao PDR today is a step in the right direction towards this ultimate goal,” Dr. Jacobs explained The vaccines that will be used in Lao PDR have gone through rigorous development and safety testing procedures, where the Ministry of Health – Food and Drug Department has assessed the evidence, benefits, and risks. The AstraZeneca vaccine licensed to Serum Institute of India provided through the COVAX was authorized for emergency use by the Ministry of Health on 22 February, after being listed for emergency use by WHO on 15 February.
This is truly a momentous occasion for Lao PDR and marks a major milestone in ensuring fairer access to vaccines globally. UNICEF is proud to be playing a leading role in supplying COVID-19 vaccines to Lao PDR and contributing to strengthening the country’s capacity to handle the pandemic, stated Dr. Pia Rebello Britto, UNICEF Representative to Lao PDR. “We are especially grateful to all partners for their significant contributions to GAVI and COVAX that have made possible the delivery of vaccines to Lao PDR. As the largest procurer of vaccines to Laos, for over a decade, UNICEF is aware of the critical role of such partnerships in delivering life-saving supplies for children,” Dr. Britto added.
The arrival of the vaccines in Lao PDR marks a key milestone for the COVAX facility in its unprecedented effort to deliver at least 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021, in what will be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history. It will be our great pleasure to be chosen as the operator for your school tours to Laos.
