Nauru has received a total of 17,200 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and will be able to fully immunise its adult population of 7000.
The Nauru Government has extended its gratitude to the Governments of Australia and India for the generous support in securing and enabling the delivery of the vaccines.
The first consignment of 7,200 doses arrived on Thursday 1 April.
The Government initially purchased the vaccines however, will now be fully reimbursed by the Government of Australia as part of its assistance for Nauru in achieving its Covid-19 prevention measures.
Furthermore, in official communications Monday, the Australian High Commission confirmed further funding for vaccine supplies worth $80,000 for Nauru directly with UNICEF for delivery later in the year. This will assist Nauru catch up any missed immunisations.
Australia entered into an agreement with UNICEF to procure approximately 20 million doses of “safe and effective vaccines for allocation to partner countries in 2021,” across the Pacific and Nauru.
This arrangement also covers the costs of the associated injection devices, safe disposal containers, and freight to ports of entry.
As the largest buyer of vaccines and procurement agent for the COVAX Facility, UNICEF has an unparalleled understanding of the global vaccine market, and is well placed to understand and monitor Nauru’s needs.
The High Commission says Australia will continue to coordinate closely with Nauru and UNICEF to enable the effective delivery of doses from Australia’s supply pipeline as soon as they become available.
The second consignment of 10,000 doses arrived a week later on Thursday 8 April as a donation from the Government of India, thus securing 100 per cent coverage of the adult population including foreigners living in Nauru.
The High Commission of India in Suva, Fiji says the vaccines are supplied by its Government through grant assistance as a “special gesture of friendship and solidarity with the people and Government of Nauru. This is in line with India’s commitment to use India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity to help partner countries in the fight against Covid pandemic.”
“Nauru is an important partner for India for ensuring an open, inclusive, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. India is committed to assist Nauru in its fight against Covid-19,” the statement said.
President Lionel Aingimea says although Nauru is receiving the vaccines from two different countries, there is no difference other than the packaging and labelling.
Both shipments of the vaccine that Nauru received were designed and created by a team at Oxford University who entered into an arrangement with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals; who then licenced SK Bio in Korea and the Serum Institute of India to manufacture the vaccine.
The World Health Organisation, the COVAX Facility and other expert advice confirms that both vaccines are exactly the same and are fully interchangeable.
Photo Nauru Police Caption: Police Commissioner Iven Notte waiting to receive his Covid-19 vaccine shot