Apia, SAMOA — The U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), handed over 45,630 life-saving Pfizer vaccines on Monday to support the Government of Samoa’s efforts to combat COVID -19.

“The U.S. is committed to providing 1.2 billion doses of safe, effective vaccines to meet global needs.  That extraordinary number of doses is protecting individuals, families, and villages here in the South Pacific and around the world,” says U.S. Ambassador to Samoa, Ambassador Tom Udall.

This latest delivery was made through the COVAX Facility.  The United States is the largest donor to COVAX, having donated $4 billion to help protect the most vulnerable and at-risk populations in 92 low- and middle-income countries.

During the arrival ceremony, Chargé d’Affaires Jonathan Lee Yoo said that, “These vaccines will help Samoa stay healthy, and they will save lives.  This donation demonstrates the U.S. government’s commitment to supporting Samoa’s fight against COVID-19.”

The U.S. government, through USAID, has provided more than $52 million to bolster the capacity of 12 Pacific Islands countries, including Samoa, against the COVID-19 pandemic.  The United States has donated vaccines to 115 countries.  USAID has helped train healthcare workers, enhance contact tracing, bolster laboratory surveillance and critical care, improve public health communication, enhance vaccine rollouts, and support economic recovery efforts.