First vaccine shipment from Australia arrives in Vietnam

Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Julianne Cowley and Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Truong Son, Deputy Minister of Health welcome the first delivery of 403,000 AstraZeneca doses from Australia

This is the first instalment of Australia’s commitment of 1.5 million AstraZeneca doses to be shared with Vietnam this year to support COVID-19 response.

The delivery brings Australia’s total number of doses shared with the Indo-Pacific region to over 2 million, towards a commitment of at least 20 million by mid-2022.

Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Robyn Mudie welcomed the first delivery from Australia.

“Together, we are united in the fight against COVID-19. Australia’s support for Vietnam’s national vaccine roll-out will help save lives and promote economic recovery. As friends and partners, we will emerge from this crisis stronger and more determined to face future challenges,” Ambassador Mudie said.

These vaccines have arrived at a critical point in Vietnam’s efforts to control the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant.

Australian and Vietnamese officials celebrate the first delivery of vaccines

Julianne Cowley, Australian Consul-General, said, “Everyone knows what a difficult time this is for Ho Chi Minh City and for the country as a whole. It is very timely for Australia to be contributing to Vietnam’s vaccine rollout.”

Yesterday’s delivery is in addition to Australia’s existing $40 million package of vaccine-related support to Vietnam. Australia will provide additional doses through its partnership with UNICEF plus funding for syringes, cold chain equipment, including 1,900 fridges and five refrigerated trucks, training for healthcare workers, and support for vaccine rollout in remote provinces.

Australia’s support for Vietnam also complements its $100 million commitment to support Southeast Asia through the Quad Vaccine Partnership with the US, Japan, and India, and its contribution of $130 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC).

Australia will continue to work closely with Vietnam and other regional partners to respond to the pandemic. Access to effective COVID-19 vaccines will support the region’s recovery, and its future stability and prosperity.