KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — Malaysia received one million doses of the Covid-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from the United States this morning. 

The United States (US) Embassy in a statement today said that shipment of the vaccine arrived at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport for distribution to vaccine centres nationwide.

US Ambassador to Malaysia, Brian McFeeters, said the United States is committed to working with Malaysia to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic and achieve global health security.

"The US and Malaysia have a long, solid partnership in public health issues, and it is our top priority right now to assist Malaysia in saving lives.  We are committed to working with the Malaysian government to support the National Covid-19 Immunisation Program by increasing vaccine coverage and helping to achieve its target for recovery as quickly as possible,” he said in a statement today.

The vaccine is part of US President Joe Biden’s pledge to help nations struggling with handling the pandemic amid concern about the disparity in vaccination rates between advanced and developing countries. 

He pledged to donate 80 million doses worldwide, with Malaysia among the first to receive them. 

Other nations to receive this donation include Indonesia with four million doses, and the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Papua New Guinea, and Cambodia.