DILI, 11 june 2021 (TATOLI) – The Autonomous Service for Medicines and Health Equipment (SAMES), today distributed the second dose of the Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccine to nine municipalities, including RAEOA, Covalima, Bobonaro, Ainaro, Manufahi, Aileu, Ermera, Liquica, and Dili.
The Executive Director of SAMES, Santana Martins informed that of the 120,960 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, 5,880 doses were distributed to Aileu Municipality, 6,084 doses to Ainaro, 15, 864 doses to Baucau, 11, 460 doses to Bobonaro, 7,716 doses to Covalima, 16, 800 doses to Dili, 10,464 doses to Ermera, 8,376 doses to Lautem, 8,520 doses to Liquica, 6,216 doses to Manatuto, 6,432 doses to Manufahi, 7,872 to RAEOA, 9276 to Viqueque municipality.
“This morning we launch the ceremony of the distribution of the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to the municipalities. The first thing that we need to do is arranging the distribution of the vaccines to RAEOA. The vaccines for RAEOA are needed to be loaded onto to cargo plane before 8:00 and we have done that already,” Martins told Tatoli at SAMES’ office, in Dili, today.
He said five teams were responsible for the distribution of the vaccines to the nine western municipalities.
“Today, we have a team who is responsible for the distribution of the vaccines to Bobonaro and Liquica municipality, a team to Ermera, another team to Aileu and Manufahi, a team to Ainaro and Covalima, and another team to RAEOA,” Martins said.
He said the distribution of the second vaccines to the other municipalities in the eastern part would take place on June 12.
“Tomorrow, a team of SAMES will distribute the vaccines to Manatuto and Viqueque, and another team will also distribute the vaccine to Baucau and Lautem,” Martins said.
He said due to the lack of temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals vehicles, SAMES rented additional vehicles to facilitate the distribution of the vaccines to the municipalities.
“Regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine Storage and handling guidance, we have prepared for that a year ago. So, these vaccines will be stored in the refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C (35°F to 46°F), and these refrigerators are available at the moment,” Martins said.
Martins added that SAMES would install more Covid-19 vaccine storage cold rooms in Dili and municipalities to ensure Covid-19 vaccines were stored safely.
The vaccination of the second dose of the Covid-19 in the municipalities had been set to begin on June 14.
Timor-Leste, on Wednesday, received 500,800 doses of the Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccine, as the second batch from the COVAX Facility.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
