Cold-chain optimisation equipment worth $6.59 million funded by the Japanese government and procured through Unicef has been handed over to the Pakistani government for enhancing the national capacity to store Covid-19 vaccines.

“We greatly value the significant contributions made by Japan during the last 70 years of its diplomatic relations with Pakistan,” said Parliamentary Secretary on Health Dr Nausheen Hamid. “Over the years, our two countries have partnered in various sectors including health, education, power and many others. I affirm our strong desire to further deepen and broaden our bilateral ties with Japan.”

The donated equipment includes power generators, voltage regulators and temperature-monitoring devices which will enhance the vaccine storage capacity of the Expanded Programme for Immunisation (EPI), especially at the provincial and district levels where power outage and voltage fluctuation is frequent, according to a government statement.

The new equipment will help ensure optimum temperature control at storage facilities thus maintaining the efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine.