Australian Deputy Ambassador Mark Tatterall and Vice Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen. (Photo: Australian Embassy in Viet Nam)

The first delivery of pediatric vaccine doses arrived on 8 April, and the remaining doses were delivered throughout April. The final delivery of 772,000 doses arrived on 7 May.

These new COVID-19 vaccine doses build on the 7.8 million doses Australia has already provided to Viet Nam for its adult population to boost its economic and social recovery from COVID-19. Australia is also delivering a comprehensive package of support to bolster Viet Nam’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Under this package, Australia is working in partnership with UNICEF to support cold chain upgrades, training for healthcare workers, production of communications materials, and planning and implementation of the vaccine rollout in remote provinces in Viet Nam.

Vice Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen and Deputy Ambassador Mark Tattersall visit the vaccine store at the National Centre of Hygiene and Epidemiology. (Photo: Australian Embassy in Viet Nam)

Deputy Head of Mission Tattersall congratulated Viet Nam on its COVID-19 vaccine rollout to date and welcomed the next phase of Australia’s support. “These pediatric COVID-19 vaccine doses will help bolster Viet Nam’s efforts to contain COVID-19, by extending the vaccine rollout to protect younger people in Viet Nam, assisting with our return to the new normal. I have been delighted to see Viet Nam’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccination rollout commence with the vaccines newly arrived from Australia”, Mr. Tattersall said.

In addition, Australia is also contributing 215 million AUD to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) to support equitable global access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. Through the COVAX AMC, over 1.2 billion doses have been delivered to 86 developing countries around the world to date, including 68,137,050 doses to Viet Nam.

Deputy Ambassador Mark Tattersall and Vice Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen inspect the COVID-19 vaccine doses delivered by Australia for Viet Nam’s COVID-19 paediatric vaccine rollout. (Photo: Australian Embassy in Viet Nam)

Vice Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen and Deputy Ambassador Mark Tattersall celebrate Australia’s donation of 7,223,200 COVID-19 paediatric vaccine doses, joined by officials from the Ministry of Health, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, and Australian Embassy. (Photo: Australian Embassy in Viet Nam)