– Samoa’s fight against COVID-19 will be given a
boost with the arrival of over 100,000 Pfizer vaccines over the next three months.
Australia will provide 111,150 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to Samoa, through
a partnership with UNICEF, to procure vaccines for partner countries in the Pacific
by the end of 2022.
Today, 70,200 doses were delivered to support Samoa’s national vaccine rollout,
particularly for booster doses. Samoa is currently experiencing community
transmission of COVID-19 for the first time, making the arrival of these vaccines all
the more important.
“The onset of Community transmission in Samoa has accentuated the importance of
vaccinations as key to addressing the challenges of COVID 19. We are thankful to
the Australian Government and UNICEF for the delivery of these doses, which will
greatly support our booster program. We acknowledge the assistance of Australia
and all our other development partners to ensure the efficacy and coverage of our
COVID-19 response as we continue to work together to save lives” remarks the
Director General of Health
“Australia is pleased to bolster the Government of Samoa’s booster vaccination
program through the delivery of these doses. We know from our own experience
back home that a booster dose provides greater protection from severe disease. The
timely delivery of these doses will further protect the people of Samoa now that the
virus has made its way into the community. As we have throughout the pandemic,
we stand ready to support the government in their response to COVID-19,” said
Australia’s High Commissioner to Samoa, Her Excellency, Emily Luck.
“This shipment of COVID-19 vaccines is critically important to ensure communities
are protected, especially now that the virus is circulating in the community for the first
time,” said UNICEF Pacific Representative, Jonathan Veitch. “We thank the
Government of Australia for their partnership with UNICEF to deliver these timely
lifesaving vaccines to Pacific families. UNICEF will continue to work under the
Government of Samoa’s leadership to support their efforts to control the spread of
the virus and protect their citizens.”
These doses of Pfizer vaccines will be used in Samoa’s COVID-19 booster
programme and for primary course vaccinations. Over 8,500 people have already
received a booster dose. These vaccines will enable the Ministry of Health to
continue to expand their booster campaign to comprehensively cover Samoa,
ensuring that everyone can access boosters.

About Samoa’s Ministry of Health:
The Ministry of Health aims to provide safe, efficient patient centred health care
services to the people of Samoa. The Ministry of Health plays a lead role in the
government’s COVID-19 response, including as co-chair of the National Emergency
Operations Centre. Follow the Ministry of Health on Facebook for the latest updates
on the COVID-19 situation in Samoa.
About the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
and Australia’s development program:
Australia's development program is an investment in an open, prosperous and
resilient Indo-Pacific. Our engagement is helping our neighbours navigate the
challenges of a more contested and disrupted world. Our efforts contribute to saving
lives, restarting economies, and managing the effects of resurgent poverty and
inequality. We are also engaged in global humanitarian and development efforts, and
advocate through our multilateral and global partnerships to ensure they are
effective. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and at www.dfat.gov.au.
About UNICEF:
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most
disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child,
everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.
For more information about UNICEF Pacific and its work for children, follow UNICEF
Pacific on Twitter and Facebook

For more information, please contact:
Government of Samoa, Lave.Tuiletufuga@mpmc.gov.ws
Australian High Commission – Apia, Jordan.Kwan@dfat.gov.au
Zubnah Khan, UNICEF Pacific, Tel: +679 9988137, zukhan@unicef.org