Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has expressed his country’s intention to provide around 30 million vaccine doses manufactured in Japan to other countries and regions, including through the COVAX Facility.
Prime Minister Suga who co-chaired the COVAX AMC (Advance Market Commitment) Summit virtually with Gavi Board Chair José Manuel Barroso on Wednesday said Japan will provide the vaccine doses at an appropriate time when the circumstances allow.
Read: UK recognises Bangladesh's Dr Jara as 'Vaccine Luminary'
The Japanese Prime Minister explained that Japan has always supported the efforts by the COVAX Facility, including through its financial contribution, amounting to US$ 200 million and announced Japan’s additional contribution of US$ 800 million.
In this context, as one of the largest contributors to the COVAX Facility, Japan welcomed the arrival of 106,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine to Bangladesh on May 31, which was made possible through the COVAX AMC.
Read:1 lakh-plus Pfizer vaccine doses reach Dhaka
Japan will continue to cooperate with Bangladesh to suppress the spread of the Covid-19 and overcome this unprecedented crisis, said the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka.
The Summit, held on Wednesday, was organised to raise additional funds to secure necessary vaccines for developing countries by the end of 2021, in order to ensure through the COVAX Facility equitable access to safe, effective and quality-assured vaccines thereby overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read: Bangladesh approves emergency use of Pfizer vaccine
Participants in the Summit include leaders and ministers from about 40 countries, including Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States of America, as well as António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General and other heads of international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and representatives from the civil society and the private companies such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Prime Minister Suga called for further solidarity and commitments from the international community in the fight against Covid-19, and expressed Japan’s full support for ensuring equitable access to safe and effective vaccines for as many people as possible with a view to achieving Universal Health Coverage guided by the principle of human security.