Covax delivers 24,000 covid19 vaccines to Suriname

On Friday, Suriname received 24,000 doses of covid19 vaccines through Covax.

Jamaica was the first country in the Caribbean to receive doses of the vaccines through Covax on March 15. Suriname is the second one, and Trinidad and Tobago is due to receive 33,600 on Wednesday – the first tranche of an order for 100,800 vaccines.

In total, 15 Caribbean countries are expected to receive just over 2.1 million doses of Covax vaccines by May.

A press release from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said the delivery to Suriname was part of the first phase of deliveries to the country as Suriname was expected to continue receiving doses through May until it reaches 79,200, the amount specified by Covax.

“Subsequent doses are expected to be received during the second half of the year with total doses deployed to cover up to 20 per cent of the population.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Suriname recorded 9,085 confirmed covid19 cases and 177 deaths as of March 26. The 24,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, which arrived on that day at the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, in Paramaribo, was manufactured by SK Bioscience of South Korea.

Dr Karen Lewis-Bell, PAHO/WHO Representative in Suriname, said, “The delivery of the first tranche of vaccines through the Covax Facility with the support of PAHO is a proud moment for Suriname in the response to the covid19 pandemic. The country is very committed to securing vaccines for the people of Suriname to protect the most vulnerable and reduce deaths.”

Dr Rakesh Sukul, acting director of health, Ministry of Health, Suriname said the vaccines would be used to protect those most vulnerable to becoming infected with the virus, such as health workers and older adults.

He thanked the Covax Facility and PAHO for the doses that would “strengthen” the country’s vaccination program as the government believed the vaccines would help minimise hospital admissions and deaths due to covid19.

Nicolas Pron, area representative, Unicef Guyana and Suriname added, “We have all felt the effect of Covid19 on our lives, but the impact has been especially harsh on the lives of children who have not been able to attend class in person for almost the entire past year; children who were not able to go out and play and socialise, and the overall impact the pandemic has had on children’s mental health...

"So, when we talk about the Covax vaccines arriving in Suriname, we need to recognise what this also represents for the children – it is hope! Hope that we can bring this pandemic under control; hope that we can start the work to build a better, safer, and healthier future for everyone and every child.”