The first batch of 332,000 doses of Japan-donated AstraZeneca vaccine arrived at Phnom Penh International Airport tonight.
The handover-receiving ceremony took place at the airport under the presidency of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia and Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Mikami Masahiro.
Japan has recently announced to donate some 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, which Japan is licensed to produce, to support the Royal Government of Cambodia's efforts to defeat COVID-19 as well as help to relieve some of the anxieties of the Cambodian people.
To date, the Japanese Government has provided a total of more than US$50 million worth assistance to Cambodia. This includes the donation of medical equipment, the renovation of hospitals, support for infection prevention measures at the borders through international organisations, and equipment to properly carry and store vaccines. It has also provided a loan of approximately US$227 million, which is being used to provide cash benefit to people affected by COVID-19 and to strengthen the medical care provision system.
With the newly arrived vaccines, Cambodia has received in total nearly 18 million doses of vaccines through purchase and donations: 6.2 million doses of Sinopharm, 10.5 million doses of Sinovac, and 656,000 doses of AstraZeneca.
The Kingdom has set to vaccinate around 10 million people or 62 percent of the total population against COVID-19 and the target is expected to achieve by November this year.
As of yesterday, 6,454,601 adult people have got their first jab, or 64.55 percent of the planned 10 million people for the vaccination, among them 4,304,932 have been fully vaccinated.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Press