USAID donates equipment to expand Covid vaccination rollout
 
The US Agency for International Development (USAID), through UNICEF, has provided cold chain boxes and IT equipment to the Ministry of Health to support Laos’ efforts to vaccinate the population against Covid-19.

Dr Phonepaseuth Ounaphom (centre) with Mr Cullen Hughes and Ms Rie Takesue (right).

The equipment, worth about US$150,000, was procured with the support of UNICEF to expand Covid-19 vaccination coverage in Laos, especially in hard-to-reach communities. The donation is part of the recent Covid-19 assistance to Laos from USAID through UNICEF.
This includes a US$1.4 million grant to UNICEF supporting the government of Laos to monitor cold chain facilities, spur community engagement, and monitor adverse events following vaccination.
The latest donation was handed over on Wednesday at the office of the National Immunisation Programme, in the presence of the Director General of the Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion, Ministry of Health, Dr Phonepaseuth Ounaphom. Also present were Acting USAID Country Representative to Laos, Mr Cullen Hughes, and OIC Chief of Health, UNICEF Laos, Ms Rie Takesue.
Dr Phonepaseuth thanked USAID and the US Government for the assistance and expressed his appreciation to UNICEF for their support on vaccination during the pandemic. “Through sustained assistance from our international partners, Laos has achieved significant vaccination coverage,” he said. “USAID’s support is another important contribution to our work, ensuring that vaccines are delivered to every child, mother and family, thus paving the way towards vaccinating the whole country against Covid.”
The cold chain equipment includes 135 cold boxes to help transport vaccines from one cold storage location to another or to health facilities, and 2,000 freeze-free vaccine carriers to help health workers deliver vaccines to immunisation sites.
The cold boxes can also be used as backup storage for vaccines during emergencies.
In addition, USAID provided IT equipment including 245 tablets and 21 computer and printer sets to help strengthen data management and collection, supervision at immunisation sites, and enable access to e-learning opportunities for health workers.
“The equipment provided today will further support the Ministry of Health in strengthening cold chain logistics and the management information systems that underpin the entire national vaccination campaign,” Mr Hughes said. He complemented the Lao government and the Ministry of Health for their effective Covid response, and highlighted the importance of partnerships in responding to the pandemic.
“We have seen the power of partnerships during the pandemic in keeping people safe. The US Government is proud to have played a key part in addressing the impacts of Covid on the lives of the Lao people,” Mr Hughes said.
Additionally, USAID previously provided a grant of US$2 million to UNICEF and WHO for the operationalisation of cold chain regional hubs in Luang Prabang, Saravan, Savannakhet, Oudomxay, Champassak and Vientiane provinces. To date, a total of 588 units of cold chain equipment have been delivered and installed in these provinces with the support of USAID, which are serving to vaccinate the entire country.
“UNICEF thanks USAID for this generous contribution to the vaccination drive in Laos,” Ms Takesue said.
“Vaccines have been an important factor in the current decline of severe cases and deaths from Covid that we now see today, and the equipment provided will ensure that vaccines can reach even more people, especially those who are most vulnerable,” she added.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update July 1, 2022)