100,620 Doses Of Pfizer Vaccine Expected Soon

Source: Vientiane Times

Some 100,620 doses of Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive in the coming days, according to the Centre of Information and Education for Health, Ministry of Health.

This vaccine, which is supplied by the UN-led COVAX Facility, requires specialised Ultra Cold Chain storage conditions to preserve it and keep it viable.

In preparation for the arrival of the vaccine, the National Immunisation Programme has been given three freezers capable of storing vaccine at a temperature of -70°C. 

This Ultra Cold Chain equipment was provided by the World Health Organisation Lao PDR Country Office, thanks to support from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health.

The National Immunisation Programme has spent the past few months working on Covid-19 vaccine distribution across Laos.

As of May 30, a total of 885,694 doses (658,377 first doses and 227,317 second doses) have been distributed to target populations across the country. 

The Ministry of Health is planning to vaccinate 50 percent of the total population by the end of this year.

Deputy Director General of the Sanitation and Health Promotion Department, Ministry of Health, Dr Panom Fongmany, said Laos received 435,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in March, including Sputnik V, 302,000 doses from Sinopharm, and 132,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. In April, Sinopharm supplied an additional 1,100,000 doses.