On Tuesday, the first batch of Covid-19 vaccines through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’s vaccine partnership was delivered to Cambodia. Representatives from the four member countries presented 325,000 doses of Indian-made vaccines to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, according to the Indian government.

The consignment, consisting of 325,000 doses of Covishield vaccines, was jointly handed over by Indian Ambassador to Cambodia Devyani Khobragade and representatives from the embassies of Australia, Japan, and the US. The vaccines were gifted by India as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to donate 500,000 doses of Covid vaccines to the Indo-Pacific under the Quad vaccine initiative, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday.

The Quad Vaccine Partnership, announced by Quad leaders during their first Summit on March 12, 2021, aims to utilize the collective strength of Quad countries to ensure global availability of safe and effective vaccines. The initiative involves expanding vaccine manufacturing and assisting countries in the Indo-Pacific with vaccination efforts. Quad countries have pledged to provide over 1.2 billion doses of Covid vaccines globally under this program.

To date, Quad countries have collectively supplied nearly five million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Cambodia through bilateral arrangements and COVAX. Additionally, Australia and Japan have contributed cold storage equipment, freezers, and temperature monitors, along with safety equipment for healthcare workers. The US has provided support in surveillance, contact tracing, case investigation, training healthcare workers, and data management.

The MEA statement highlighted the Cambodian government’s appreciation for the vaccines received from Quad through India and acknowledged the collective assistance provided. Quad countries have assured Cambodia of their commitment to extending all possible support in combating the pandemic.