The United States will be donating approximately 302, 400 Johnson and Johnson single shot vaccines to Papua New Guineans through the COVAX facility.
The first shipment of the single shots is part of the 80 million doses of vaccine that President Joe Biden committed from the U.S. vaccine supply to support global needs.
U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu Erin McKee said the United States was happy to support the PNG government in reducing the COVID-19 impact.
The vaccine dose donation follows a May response by the U.S. government to the PNG government’s request for critical assistance to confront the evolving COVID-19 situation in the country.
In partnership with FHI 360, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) quickly redirected funding to procure vital infection prevention and control items for Papua New Guinea’s National Department of Health.