The Japanese government has donated a total of 112,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses to the Maldives through the COVAX facility.

The doses were gifted under Japan's "Last One Mile Support" initiative.

Health Minister Ahmed Naseem accepted the donation on the government's behalf at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday afternoon. The United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator for the Republic of Maldives Catherine Haswell, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Country Representative to the Maldives Marjan Montazemi, officials from the foreign ministry, health ministry, WHO, Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) and the Embassy of Japan attended Sunday's ceremony.

While speaking at the ceremony, the health minister had extended his gratitude for to the Japanese government for their generous donations, not only in providing the vaccines but also in donating medical equipment, medical supplies and other assistance given to the Maldives and the people throughout the pandemic.

Naseem also mentioned that this donation of AstraZeneca vaccines will contribute towards the Government’s efforts to continue vaccination across the country and will support the goal of completing the vaccination programme for the entire eligible population.

While Japan had back in July announced the decision to make more donations of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses to countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Pacific regions, through the UN-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing programme, Maldives is included among the 10 recipients of this donation.

Also speaking at Sunday's ceremony, Japan's Ambassador to Maldives Keiko Yanai shed light on the close relationship between the Maldives and Japan and ensured that the Japanese government will continue to aid the Maldives during times of need. She stressed that Maldives is an important bilateral partner of Japan.

This donation is the fourth COVAX allocation to the Maldives. Earlier in August, United States donated 128,700 doses of Pfizer vaccines through the WHO Covax Faculity which are being administered presently.

While Japan has donated 112,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) had previously said that the doses of AstraZeneca vaccine Maldives received before and is currently administering, will expire in November.