The Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has announced that the global COVAX Facility will be donating 108,000 doses of Serum Institute’s COVISHIELD vaccine, and 5,850 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to the Maldives..
The Maldives is part of the global initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines led by the World Health Organization (WHO). The archipelago will receive free vaccines for 20 percent of the country’s population under the COVAX program.
Speaking at a press conference held by HEOC on Monday, the Health Protection Agency (HPA)’s Director Ahmed Nasir said while the Maldives received 12,000 doses of vaccine under the COVAX program earlier on Saturday, more vaccines will be received through the initiative. In this regard, the Maldives will receive doses the COVISHILED vaccine which is currently being used in the Maldives’ vaccine program, as well as the Pfizer vaccine, said Nasir.
100,000 syringes were also donated to the Maldives by COVAX earlier this month.
The Maldives began its COVID-19 vaccine drive on February 1st. Over 150,000 people have received the first dose of the two-dose COVISHIELD vaccine until now.
