Asian Development Bank supporting Georgia's national vaccine plan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is helping the government of Georgia develop its national plan for Covid-19 vaccine deployment to contain the spread of the coronavirus, says the ADB.

Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze said that the ADB's assistance enabled the ministry to quickly mobilise experts and develop a comprehensive plan according to which 1.7 million Georgian citizens should be vaccinated by the end of 2021.

• PM Gakharia: 60% of Georgian population to be vaccinated in 2021

The plan, approved by Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia on 21 January, will enable the deployment, implementation, and monitoring of Covid-19 vaccines once they become available. 

The plan covers legal, regulatory, and institutional aspects of vaccine deployment; cold-chain and logistical requirements; and the principles underpinning prioritisation for certain target populations during the rollout.

ADB has been helping Georgia to tackle the Covid-19 crisis. 

Last December the bank approved a $2.5 million grant to provide lifesaving supplies and services to communities affected by the pandemic.

Last May and October the bank approved loans of $100 million and $200 million to help contain the spread of the disease, protect the livelihoods of the most vulnerable and strengthen Georgia’s public financial management and social protection systems. 

In August, ADB also provided grant support to procure polymerase chain reaction (PCR) equipment to increase Georgia’s capacity to test, trace, and contain the spread of the virus.