Emergency Grant Aid for Vaccination against the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic

September 24, 2009
Japanese

The Government of Japan decided on September 24 (Thu) to provide, as an urgent measure, approximately 1.1 billion JPY (10.8 million USD) of emergency grant aid, through the World Health Organization (WHO), to help extend vaccinations in developing countries amidst the worldwide H1N1 influenza pandemic.
This Grant aid, in response to the recent request from the United Nations, will be used to purchase vaccines for the WHO, to help extend vaccinations to health-care workers and people who have risk of serious illnesses in developing countries, including those in Asia, where the access to vaccines is dangerously limited. The Government of Japan welcomes similar initiatives by the United States and other main donor countries, and takes this decision in light of their contributions.
The Government of Japan continues to cooperate closely with other countries and organizations concerned to mitigate damages from the influenza pandemic through assistance from the international community.

(Reference 1)

On September 17, The U.S. President Barack Obama decided to contribute 10% of the United States’ vaccine supply for the developing countries through the WHO.
The United Kingdom, France, Australia, and other countries have also pledged to contribute a certain amount of their vaccine supply for the developing countries.

(Reference 2) Examples of previous aid carried out by Japan

In addition to emergency assistance to Mexico (approximately 100 million JPY), Japan has decided to allow the ASEAN countries to use antiviral medicine (Tamiflu®)for the treatment of H1N1 influenza that had been extended and stockpiled in those countries to counter avian influenza (H5N1).

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