DILI, 22 july 2021 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste Medical and Pharmaceutical Supply Agency (SAMES) will purchase eight Ultra-Low Temperature Freezers for storing Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine.
The Interim Executive Director of SAMES, Francisco Borges said that the eight Ultra-Low Temperature Freezers would be used to store the 100.000 doses of the Covid-19 Pfizer Vaccine that will arrive in the near future.
“We need to prepare appropriate storage conditions for the 100.000 of the Covid-19 Pfizer Vaccine that the government had been planning to buy from COVAX Facility. Thus it’s important to begin preparing appropriate conditions so that we can keep the vaccine safe when it arrives in the country,” said Borges.
“SAMES had collaborated with UNICEF to purchase the eight Ultra-Low Temperature Freezers. Of these eight refrigerators, six would be distributed to the branches of SAMES in Baucau and Ainaro, while two other will be placed in SAMES Dili,” Borges told reporters at SAMES office in Dili, today.
Borges said SAMES would allocate up to US$300.000 for the purchase of the freezers, saying the budget covers capacity building and training as well: “Today we will have another discussion with UNICEF, to update process of purchasing the freezers, because will purchase these refrigerators through Supply Division of UNICEF in Copenhagen, Denmark.”
He said if there would be no problem with the supply chain, then within two or three months, the eight Freezers for storing COVID-19 Pfizer Vaccine would arrive in Timor-Leste.
Last Week the spokesperson of the Inter-Ministerial Commission for the Covid-19 Immunization, Danina Coelho said that next month up to 100.000 doses of the Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine will arrive in Timor-Leste from the COVAX Facility to vaccinate young Timorese people between the ages of 12 to 17.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Rafy Belo
