PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry has received cold chain equipment for Covid-19 vaccine storage worth RM6mil donated by the Japanese government.

       The Ministry said in a statement on Monday (Nov 15) that the donation consists of 184 refrigerators, 1,343 cold boxes and 1,579 data loggers, adding that it has been distributed to various healthcare facilities throughout the country since September.

       “The donated equipment has increased the storage capacity of the Covid-19 vaccines throughout the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK),” it said.

       It added that the contribution was made through the successful Malaysia – Japan Technical Cooperation coordinated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

       Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin received the donation from the Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia, Oka Hiroshi and Jica Malaysia office senior representative Fukuzawa Shinsaku at a ceremony in Putrajaya on Monday.

       On the ceremony and the donation, the Ministry said that it extends its most heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to the Japanese government for their generous donation and added that it is looking forward to future collaborations.

       Previously, as a part of Japan’s pledge to donate Covid-19 vaccines, Malaysia received one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in July.