The World Bank will provide more than 21.1 million U.S. dollars to Tajikistan for vaccination of priority population groups, Tajik Deputy Minister of Finance, Jamshed Karimzoda, told reporters in Dushanbe on February 19.  

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has already approved additional financing for the Tajikistan Emergency COVID-19 Project in the amount of $8.63 million for the procurement and delivery of internationally approved COVID-19 vaccines.

“This amount will be spent to purchase the internationally approved CODID-19 vaccines,” the deputy finance minister said.  

According to him, first of all, health and social care workers, the population over 50 years of age, people with underlying health conditions, as well as teachers and employees of educational institutions. will be vaccinated.  

The exact number of people to be vaccinated under this additional financing and in collaboration with COVAX, will depend on final vaccine prices negotiated between COVAX and manufacturers.

Karimzoda added that negotiations to finance the purchase and delivery of vaccines to Tajikistan are still under way.  

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 vaccines will be provided through the Gavi-COVAX Advanced Market Commitment Global Financing Mechanism (for about 16 percent of the population) and through Tajikistan Emergency COVID-19 Project (4 percent).  The procurement and delivery of vaccines will be undertaken by UNICEF.