DILI, 30 june 2021 (TATOLI) – Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) hands over one refrigerated vehicle and 15 Twinbird Vaccines Transport Boxes to the Timor-Leste Medical and Pharmaceutical Supply Agency (SAMES), today at the SAMES’ office, in Dili.
The refrigerated vehicle and the 15 cold boxes would be used to transport the vaccine doses to the municipalities.
The Chief Representative of JICA in Timor-Leste, Goto Ko states that: “Today, we gather here with the purpose of giving what we can through our little contribution as a neighbor to support and improve the health system especially the cold chain system in Timor-Leste, in order to be one step ready to fight not only against the COVID 19 but all other harmful diseases”.
Goto Ko said one Cold Box pickup truck was given to SAMES, and 15 Twinbird Vaccines Transport Boxes to District Health Services in each municipality.
“We hope this support would contribute to the improvement of the Cold Chain System of Timor-Leste and be valuable against COVID-19. Thus, we would like to request that, these facilities be utilized and maintained as well as possible, hence they could be utilized for a long period in the future, for the benefit of our community,” said Goto Ko.
He said the support would not be the last contribution of JICA, saying JICA would continue supporting Timor-Leste until everyone is safe: “We will continue to support as best as we can so that we all have a healthy and prosperous neighbor in this community.”
He said the refrigerated vehicle and the 15 Twinbird Vaccines Transport Boxes cost US$100.000.
At the same place, the Vice Minister of Health, Bonifacio Maucoli dos Reis said that 85 percent of Timor-Leste’s populations haven’t vaccinated, saying, therefore, the refrigerated vehicle and cold boxes would help the government to accelerate the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine in Timor-Leste.
“This support will help the government of Timor-Leste to transport the vaccines to the municipalities and communities in the rural areas,” said Reis.
In addition, Reis said JICA also supported SAMES with capacity building on medical equipment quality assurance for healthcare facilities and medicines at SAMES.
He said within this year, JICA is going to offer some more vehicles to SAMES.
“We hope in the future, JICA will continue supporting SAMES, particularly with the medicines and the medical equipment. On behalf of the Ministry of Health, I would like to request JICA to continue supporting SAMES with training on human resource capacity building to enhance the management and quality control of the medical equipment and medicines at SAMES stock.”
Previously JICA also provided 38 ambulances to the Ministry of Health to be distributed to all Health Care Centers in Timor-Leste.
Executive Director of SAMES, Santana Martin thanked the Government of Japan and JICA for the generous support.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Rafy Belo
