UNICEF to give Ukraine 30 vehicles, over 1.5M vaccine doses - Health Ministry

This was announced by the Ministry of Health, Ukrinform reports.

"Vaccines in Ukraine are transported and stored in strict compliance with the requirements set by the manufacturer, despite the challenges to the health care system brought about by the Russian full-scale invasion. The refrigerator vehicles provided are our next stage in the improvement of the ‘cold chain,’ which will allow not only to quickly deliver vaccines to the regions that need them, but also, taking into account the involvement of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine in tthehis process, to apply immunoprophylaxis more effectively. In this way, we will be able to ensure uninterrupted access to vaccines in each individual health care facility. The first pilot delivery of vaccines to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will kick off in Lviv region in the near future," said Minister of Health Viktor Liashko.

It is noted that the new vehicles are equipped with special refrigerating equipment with a volume of 4 cubic meters for transporting vaccines at +2...+8 С˙, which will allow delivering the required supply of vaccines to any health care facility within any given region.

The first batch of 10 vehicles was handed over by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell during her official visit to Ukraine.

Ukraine is also starting to receive vaccines purchased by UNICEF with donor funds provide by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Japanese Government. These are vaccines against poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, measles-rubella, and rabies. In total, Ukraine will receive more than 1.5 million doses as humanitarian aid.

As reported, in 2021, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with UNICEF and support of the U.S. Government and the World Bank, began updating refrigerating equipment for transporting and storing vaccines. Thermal containers, thermal bags, cooling elements, and temperature monitoring devices have been delivered. This equipment is used for transportation and storage of Covid vaccines and vaccines required by the national calendar of preventive vaccinations.