Japan to give additional 1.96 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Philippines

Japan has pledged to give an additional 1.96 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines.

This was announced by Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu at a press briefing on Friday, according to a statement issued by Japan’s embassy in Manila.

“The delivery of this second vaccine provision from Japan is expected to be dispatched to Manila in some batches within this month,” the embassy said.

Japan’s first delivery, which consisted of 1.124 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, took place on July 8. 

“Also outside of the COVAX facility, this latest provision makes Japan’s total bilateral contribution to the country’s vaccine stockpile reach more than three million doses, as of date,” the embassy said.

“Throughout the pandemic, Japan consistently finds ways to expand its contribution to the Philippines’ COVID-19 response measures in order to ease the plight of Filipino citizens and frontliners.”

The contributions include the Crisis Response Emergency Support Loan (CRESL); Post-Disaster Standby Loan Phase 2 (PDSL 2), joint clinical research for the anti-flu drug Avigan; and grants for the procurement of medical equipment, establishment of laboratory surveillance sites, and development of cold chain system in support of the vaccination program.

Around 23.8 million Filipinos are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 based on government data. — Richa Noriega/VBL, GMA News