Ceremony to Hand Over Tamiflu and Personal Protective Equipment from Japan to Singapore

16 Sep 2008

CEREMONY TO HAND OVER TAMIFLU AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN TO THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

             In an official ceremony on 16th September 2008, His Excellency Mr. Makoto Yamanaka, Japanese Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore, handed over 3,960 courses of Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) and 35,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) to Singapore. This was received by Ms. Yong Ying-I, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Singapore.  

2          The above provisions to Singapore are part of the Government of Japan's overall donation of 1 million courses of Tamiflu and 700,000 sets of PPE to ASEAN. Half of the provisions would be distributed to the respective ASEAN member countries, while the remaining would be stockpiled in Singapore.  

3          Singapore is honoured to be entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding the regional stockpile, and to facilitate the distribution of Tamiflu and PPE to affected areas in the region. We will endeavour to facilitate the delivery and distribution of the stockpile as efficiently and reliably should the need ever arises.

4          Japan’s generous donation of Tamiflu and PPE to ASEAN and Singapore to protect against a potential pandemic influenza in the region is deeply appreciated. This is an endorsement of the strong collaboration between Japan and ASEAN to preserve international health security.