Marat Shoranov discussed partnership on vaccine prophylaxis with ADB leadership

Today, the First Vice Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Marat Shoranov held a meeting with the Director of the Permanent Mission of the Asian Development Bank in Kazakhstan, Mr. Nariman Mannapbekov, and representatives of the Asian Development Bank in Central and Western Asia.
During the meeting, Marat Shoranov informed about the ongoing work to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Kazakhstan, including vaccine prophylaxis issues, and thanked ADB for effective long-term cooperation on health projects, including for the grant assistance provided to combat COVID-19 in order to ensure first aid kits as part of medicines and primary medical means of protection for low-income families of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
“Mass vaccination of the population against coronavirus infection began in the Republic of Kazakhstan on 1 February. First of all, it will cover medical personnel in infectious hospitals, ambulances and other areas. Next, teachers and members of the security forces will be included in the vaccination. The contingent of the vaccinated will expand as the volume of vaccine is sufficient. Today, it is very important to cover as much of the population as possible with specific protection against coronavirus, that is, vaccination, which will allow us to cope with the current situation with COVID-19 and return to a normal life without quarantine” - informed Marat Shoranov. In turn, Nariman Mannapbekov shared the current activities of the ADB Office in Kazakhstan.
During the meeting, ADB staff introduced and presented the Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX).
APVAX provides a resource package and mechanism to support developing member countries in the procurement and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines and consists of 2 components: a rapid response component and an investment component.
Bearing in mind the importance of the efforts being made to involve foreign partners in cooperation on vaccine prevention, the Parties agreed to consider the possibility of Kazakhstan’s participation in the APVAX mechanism, taking into account the epidemiological situation.