ADB supports Georgia’s COVID-19 vaccine plan

By Khatia Bzhalava

Tuesday, February 2

“The plan will help Georgia save lives and fully reopen,” says ADB Country Director for Georgia Shane Rosenthal.

According to the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia, Georgia will be among the first 18 countries that will receive the Pfizer vaccine in the nearest future.

On Monday, Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that the bank has helped the government of Georgia develop its National Plan for Covid-19 vaccine. According to Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze, by the end of 2021, 1.7 million Georgian citizens will be vaccinated.

The information released by ADB reads that the plan, approved by Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia on January 21, will enable the deployment, implementation, and monitoring of COVID-19 vaccines, once they become available in the country.

“The plan covers legal, regulatory, and institutional aspects of vaccine deployment; cold-chain and logistical requirements; and the principles underpinning prioritization for certain target populations during the rollout,” ADB stated and added that the bank has played a key role in the development of the plan in coordination with the World Health Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank, and other development partners.

As Tikaradze noted, with the support of the Asian Development Bank, the ministry was able to quickly mobilize the experts and developed a comprehensive plan, according to which, 1.7 million Georgian citizens will be vaccinated by the end of the year.

ADB Country Director for Georgia Shane Rosenthal stated that the plan would help Georgia save lives and fully reopen the economy.

“The National Plan for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment is an important prerequisite for securing Georgia’s access to COVID-19 vaccines and their smooth and successful deployment,” Rosenthal stated.

ADB has significantly helped Georgia during the crisis by providing a financial and technical assistance package to mitigate the damage caused by the COVID-19. The statement reads that last year, in December, ADB approved a $ 2.5 million grant financed from ADB’s Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund with a contribution by the Government of Japan to provide necessary supplies and services for the communities affected by the pandemic. In May and October of 2020, the bank also approved loans of $100 million and $200 million to curb the spread of the disease, protect the livelihoods of the most vulnerable population, and strengthen Georgia’s public financial management and social protection systems. Last August, ADB provided another grant for Georgia to obtain PCR equipment.