While Maldives is to receive access to Covid-19 vaccines through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), its first batch will cover 200,000 people.
A credible source told RaajjeMV that the country is to receive a total of 400,000 doses but highlighted issues in bringing them at once due to lack of storage facilities. The vaccine requires two shots per person.
While discussions are underway to bring the first round of doses, RaajjeMV understands that work is also being carried out to acquire vaccine from other institutions.
At a press conference held earlier this month, the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) revealed that COVAX has accepted the country’s proposal for the free vaccine doses to be distributed to each nation. Each nation is to receive enough to vaccinate 20 percent of the population, for free.
While the preparations are being carried out under an international framework, this includes the formation of a steering committee, development of a cold storage as well as other administrative work.
Noting that the work is underway “at full speed” including compiling a vaccine priority list, HEOC spokesperson Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said that their aim is to complete all procedural work in time for arrival.
While a priority order for vaccination has already been drafted, frontline workers are first while high-risk individuals in second. This is to be followed by basic service providers and international travelers.
Earlier, officials revealed that three percent of the doses allocated for Maldives will be reserved for frontline workers while the remaining 17 percent are for the elderly and high-risk groups.
Noting that there are possible side effects of the vaccine, Dr. Nazla said that Maldives is only interested in the ones approved by the World Health Organization.
COVAX is a global initiative led by WHO, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and international vaccine alliance organization Gavi, that aims to bring governments and vaccine manufacturers together to ensure all countries have access to the Covid-19 vaccine once they become available.
