The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a $15 million loan to help the Government of Georgia procure and deploy coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines and strengthen the country’s capacity to implement its vaccine program.

The project will support Georgia’s National Vaccines Deployment Plan by purchasing and delivering an estimated 700,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines as well as syringes, safety boxes, and other items for administering vaccines. It is financed through ADB’s $9 billion Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility launched in December 2020 to offer rapid and equitable vaccine-related support to ADB developing member countries.

“Vaccines are critical to reducing the spread and severity of COVID-19,” said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa. “This project will help save lives in Georgia and restore the confidence of citizens. ADB is fully committed to helping Georgia manage the adverse health, social, and economic impacts of COVID-19 and this project is a key part of ADB’s holistic support for the country’s pandemic response.”