Timor-Leste receives another 100,800 vaccines from the COVAX mechanism
The Minister of Health, Odete Maria Freitas Belo, MPH, together with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Julião Da Silva, received another 100,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which came through the COVAX Facility, and whose symbolic delivery was made by the UNICEF Representative in Timor-Leste, Bilal Aurang Zen Durrani, atthe VIP Loungeof the Nicolau Lobato international Airport, in Comoro, Dili.
Of these 100,800 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that Timor-Leste received, 76,800 doses came through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX Facility) and 24,000 doses through the Government of New Zealand, and will be used for citizens who have already received the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine, so that they can get the second dose and complete their vaccination.
In an interview, the Minister said, “we received the first vaccines from the COVAX Facility on April 5th, 2021, and launched the campaign on April 7th, 2021. According to the plan, we should have received the second doses on June 2nd, but there was a slight delay. But it was not a delay because of any problem. What happened is that there was another partner, another country, that wanted to support us. I’m talking about the wish of New Zealand, who wanted to add another 24,000 doses, so, instead of just bringing the vaccine from COVAX, we waited a little bit longer and were able to add the doses that New Zealand made available to the COVAX Facility, so together we got 100,800 doses.
The launch of the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine took place at the Dili Convention Centre (CCD - acronym in Portuguese), on June 10th, 2021, and the Government, through the Minister of Health, continued to urgeto all citizens to go to the vaccination posts to receive the vaccines, since the outbreak of COVID-19 does exist in Timor-Leste.
“We repeat to our community, to our people, to our population that, first of all, we have to acknowledge that this disease exists, and this disease has more risks for people over 60 years old, as well as for those who already have diseases such as tuberculosis, diabetes, heart problems, or hypertension. The risk for these patients exists because COVID-19 very easily worsens the condition of these patients, because their immunity is already weaker. So, on this opportunity, I appeal again to you, as media professionals, to inform our community, our population, our families, our youth, that everyone who is 18 years old or older can go to the vaccination centres to receive the vaccine. From the moment we get the vaccine, at least we can be a little bit safer, to be able to carry out our daily activities.If not, we will carry out our activities, we wear the mask so we will not be afraid, but the risk of transmission is still there.On the contrary, by cover our nose and mouth with the mask, washing our hands, avoiding large gatherings, and get the vaccine, I think we can protect ourselves more effectively against COVID-19”, said the Health Minister.
On the same occasion, the Minister of Health took the opportunity to express her gratitude to the UNICEF and WHO technical teams, which have been making every effort, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, to ensure that the COVAX mechanism vaccines reach Timor-Leste quickly.
Participants in this ceremony included the World Health Organization’s representative in Timor-Leste, DrArvind Mathur, the United States of America’s ambassador to Timor-Leste, Charles Kevin Blackstone, the European Union’s ambassador to Timor-Leste, Andrew Jacobs, the New Zealand’s ambassador to Timor-Leste, Philip Hewitt, the Indonesia’s ambassador to Timor-Leste, Sahat Sitorus, among others.
