The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) today hosted an awards ceremony to recognize the hard work of volunteers during the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out.

The volunteers had been trained under the Ministry of Health and Medical Services’ COVID-19 Vaccine Registration and Rollout project which was funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Acting Counselor for Human Development, Dr Frank Thompson, acknowledged the hard work and expertise of the Ministry of Health and the IPPF in training the volunteers for this project.

“I’m honoured to speak on behalf of Australia in recognizing the hard work of hardworking volunteers from the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji and Medical Services Pacific who did the work, who supported Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services to deliver a truly world-leading COVID-19 vaccine rollout.”

Thompson says IPPF’s careful program oversight and engagement with key stakeholders, including the Ministry, DFAT and Civil Society, was the enabling factor in mobilizing a total of 122 skilled volunteers.