The government of Kiribati says it now has enough Covid-19 vaccine doses to inoculate all eligible persons in the country.
The official handover of 90,0000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China to Kiribati. (L to R, MPs Koraubati Remuera, Moannata Ientaake, Batoromaio Kiritian, Tinte Itinteang (Health Min), MP Betero Atanibora, HE Tang Songgen and Ms Saitofi Miika ( Health Secretary). Photo: Kiribati Government
This comes after the donation today of 90,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines by China.
The minister of health Tinte Itinteang said the donation is a welcome addition to their existing supplies of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
These include 52,000 doses donated by Japan and 48,000 received via the Covax facility as well as 14,000 doses from Australia.
The government estimates that there are 71, 202 people above the age of 18 who are eligible for the jab.
Dr Tinte Itinteang said as of last week 13,970 people have received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 6,903 have completed both doses.
He said the Sinopharm vaccine will be rolled out to the islands of Tabiteuea South, Beru, Nikunau, Onotoa, Tamana and Arorae.
It will also be made available to citizens in South Tarawa and Betio and to all Chinese nationals living in the country.
Kiribati is one of at least 10 Pacific Islands countries with no cases of Covid-19 in the community.
