This is part of the October 2020 K1.3 billon commitment made by Australia for vaccine access to governments in the Pacific and south-east Asia to plan for, access and roll out safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines.

 

Australian high commissioner to PNG Jon Philp said Australia was proud to be supporting PNG with its vaccine rollout.

 

"Vaccination promises to be a game-changer and help all of us in the region move on from the Covid-19 disruption safely. Achieving high levels of immunisation is essential for recovering from the health and economic impacts of this devastating global pandemic," he said.

 

Philp says that under this initiative, Australia will help PNG procure vaccines that have met internationally accepted standards of safety and efficacy. The initiative will provide technical assistance to support PNG's decisions on vaccination rollout and assessments of vaccine safety and quality and help build capacity for the health workforce.

 

The initiative complements Australia's support for global efforts to help our region to access vaccines, including through the Covax Facility Advance Market Commitment for developing countries.