'Sri Lanka will likely receive the first batch of a government-approved COVID-19 vaccine within the next three months and plans are underway to vaccinate all citizens free of charge, Chief Epidemiologist Dr Sudath Samaraweera said. The Pfizer-BionTech vaccine...
ADB approves first loan under its COVID-19 vaccine access facility to the Philippines
The Asian Development Bank is providing the Philippines a $400 million loan for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines. This is the first loan the bank is providing under its $9 billion Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility announced in...
Sri Lanka receives Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines under COVAX Facility
'Sri Lanka on Sunday received the first batch of 264,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines provided under the World Health Organisation's COVAX facility, an official said. COVAX is the global initiative to ensure rapid and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines...
Sustainable Financing for New Vaccines in Indonesia: Challenges and Strategies
‘The issue of sustainable financing for new vaccines is particularly pertinent as Indonesia transitions away from extensive Gavi support towards a self-financing immunization system. As the current immunization system transitions, practical solutions must be found and...
Nepal focuses on health spending to fight COVID-19 in annual budget
The Parliament of Nepal saw a substantial increase in the share of budget expenditure on health in FY 2021, significant compared to other South Asian countries. The country saw increased spending in health infrastructure to primarily combat the onslaught of the Corona...
Covid-19 and Nepal’s Health Financing: Insights and recommendations based on local government response during full lockdown
The public healthcare system in Nepal is a shared responsibility between the federal, local and provincial governments with the latter usually at the forefront of handling outbreaks such as COVID-19 on ground. The financing for their operations was mixed as well where...
The Philippines seeks $700-M ADB, AIIB loans for vaccine rollout
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will lend the Philippines a combined $700 million (about P33.9 billion) by March to buy vaccines and inoculate Filipinos against the COVID-19 disease. Documents of the Beijing-based...
Urgency to transform fragmented health system (UHC Act and Covid-19)
The Philippines has seen relatively more challenges due to the Covid-19 Pandemic than perhaps its other South-east Asian counterparts. Despite the crafting of the historic Universal Health Care (UHC) Law over two years ago, the Pandemic has exposed several gaps in...
Securing Singapore’s Access to Covid-19 Vaccines
Singapore’s Multi Ministry Taskforce (MTF) along with the World Health Organization and the country’s Heath Sciences Authority (HSA) has made procurement of vaccines along with quality checks their foremost agenda. This includes signed Advance Purchase Agreements with...
Budget 2021: S$4.8b of S$11b Covid-19 Resilience Package for public health
The Singapore Government's commitment to safeguarding public health and the future of its citizens especially in the wake of COVID 19 can be seen in the over 40% share of this year’s Budget that goes to the COVID-19 Resilience Package. Mr. Heng Swee Keat, the...
Situation Update: Response to COVID-19 in Indonesia (As of 1 March 2021)
Indonesia is procured more than 420 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for 180 million people as of last month according to the Head of the COVID-19 Response and National Economic Recovery team (PCPEN). A breakdown of the procurement would reveal 125.5 million of the...
Vietnam says COVAX to supply 30 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in 2021
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/vietnam-covax-supply-30-million-covid-19-vaccine-doses-14235964
Thailand’s COVID-19 response an example of resilience and solidarity: a UN Resident Coordinator blog
"The government’s stimulus packages have been comprehensive, rapid and well-sequenced, constituting 15 per cent of GDP. Almost half of respondents to a recent survey reported having received government support. Modelling estimates suggest that while government...
Côte d’Ivoire is the first country, along with Ghana, to launch the COVAX campaign
On Monday, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire became the first countries to vaccinate their citizens against Covid-10 thanks to Covax. In Côte d'Ivoire, vaccination began on Monday March 1 in Abidjan. The first AstraZeneca dose was delivered to Patrick Achi, Secretary...
Côte d’Ivoire is the first country, along with Ghana, to launch the COVAX campaign
On Monday, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire became the first countries to vaccinate their citizens against Covid-10 thanks to Covax. In Côte d'Ivoire, vaccination began on Monday March 1 in Abidjan. The first AstraZeneca dose was delivered to Patrick Achi, Secretary...