Amman, Nov. 8 (Petra) -- The Ministry of Health opened two vaccine cold rooms (VCR) on Sunday, adding 70 cubic meters of storage capacity in cooperation with UNICEF and with funding from South Korea, according to a ministry statement.
The facilities are located at the ministry’s Sera and Vaccines Section within the Communicable Diseases Directorate.
The opening ceremony was attended by Secretary-General for Primary Health Care and Epidemiology Riyad Shayyab, representing the health minister, Korean Ambassador Kim Pil-woo, and UNICEF Representative to Jordan Marc Rubin.
Talking at the ceremony, Shayyab said the additional capacity would support the National Immunization Program by helping maintain vaccine quality and effectiveness throughout receipt, storage, and distribution across Jordan.
He noted that expanding storage capacity and improving preservation and quality monitoring systems were essential to sustaining immunization services and ensuring access to safe, effective vaccines.
In turn, Rubin highlighted the need to sustain Jordan’s progress in childhood immunization and reach children who still miss vaccinations. Stronger vaccine storage capacity would help provide safe and equitable immunization services, particularly for the most vulnerable children, he added.
He commended South Korea’s support and its partnership with the Ministry of Health, which ensure that these investments translate into tangible protection for children’s health across the Kingdom.
Kim noted that the facilities were part of Korea’s broader global partnership with UNICEF under the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A), announcing Korea contributed $70 million to UNICEF’s work under the initiative in 35 countries, including Jordan.
He added that the partnership aimed to share knowledge and experience gained through Korea’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
//Petra// AO
