The first ultra low temperature freezer, of the four that will be used to store the first group of vaccines against COVID-19 in the country, has already been installed, as reported by Ivette Berrío, Deputy Minister of Health.
The freezers will be located in the Expanded Program on Immunization ( EPI ).
Berrío, announced that next week the other 3 freezers will be installed, all specialized at -80 degrees C (-112 F) of temperature, and which are in the
Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies (ICGES).
She stressed that the National Government has so far made an investment of $5 million for the process of storage and distribution of
vaccines.
Panama is ready to receive the first
vaccines and these ultra-low temperature freezers have a capacity for 17 thousand doses per refrigerator, Berrio explained.
She added that with the acquisition of more freezers, the installed capacity of the cold chain in the country will be strengthened to receive
vaccines from other pharmaceutical companies that require temperatures from +2 to –8.
The government is waiting to close agreements to acquire 5.5 million doses for the Panamanian people and with this amount to cover 80% of the population to be vaccinated, Berrio said.