1. The National-Level Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on 30-12-2020 formed a Fund Management Sub-committee on the Purchase of COVID-19 Vaccines. The sub-committee has opened the COVID-19 Vaccination Fund at the Myanma Economic Bank in Nay Pyi Taw as follows:

(a) Fund for purchase of COVID-19 vaccines (Foreign Currency Account No. EDC 600012). The bank account will be initially deposited with USD250 million, equivalent to about K338 billion from State-funding.

(b) Fund for purchase of COVID-19 vaccines (Myanmar Currency Account No. OA 013733). The bank account is initially deposited K1 billion (K1,000 million) from State-funding.

2. Therefore, organizations and people (local/ foreign countries) who want to contribute cash donation for the purchase of vaccines, can donate any type of foreign currency to the COVID-19 Vaccination Fund (Foreign Currency Account No. EDC 600012) at the Myanma Economic Bank (Nay Pyi Taw), and can donate Myanmar Kyat to the COVID-19 Vaccination Fund (Myanmar Currency Account No. OA 013733).

3. The potential well-wishers can contact the following phone numbers:

Director-General (067 3410156)

Treasury Department (067 3410158)

Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry

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1. The contribution of cash for COVID-19 Vaccination Fund can be made via the website of the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry (http://www.mopfi.gov.mm) in the following ways.

(a) MPU Debit/Credit Card of local banks

(b) Visa/Master Credit of local banks

(c) Visa/Master Debit & Credit Card of foreign banks

(d) Mobile Wallets such as CB-pay, KBZ-pay, OK$ through QR Code (more mobile wallets will be available)

(e) Internet/mobile banking App of KBZ, CB, AYA, UAB and MAB (more internet/mobile banking Apps will be available)

(f) Over-the-counter at Supermarkets such as City Mart, Marketplace, Sein Gay Har, Aeon, Orange; mini-marts and convenience stores such as Denko Mini Market, Fun Fun Mart, ABC and Oasis; Mobile Wallet agents such as M-Pitesan, True Money and MyTelPay; Mobile Phone shops such as Any Call, e-City, Lu Gyi Min and My Fone; Wai Yan Electronics Sale Centre; the shops available Near Me logo.

2. Therefore, cash contribution can be made at the above-mentioned platforms electronically, in addition to the branches of Myanma Economic Bank and Myanma Agricultural Development Bank and other local private banks.

Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry

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THE Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement held virtual discussion with Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) over the cooperation work for peace and socio-economic development in Rakhine State on 22 January.

The meeting was attended by Union Minister Dr Win Myat Aye, Korean Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Lee Sang-hwa and other officials.

The meeting discussed the promotion of cooperation between the ministry, ROK government and KOICA in peace and development processes of Myanmar including Rakhine issue, social harmony, basic human rights, action plans for security and development and relief aids of KOICA to IDPs in Rakhine State.

The officials also focused on the support of KOCIA in mine-risk education of Myanmar like other Mekong regions; Laos and Cambodia plans of ROK government to provide the needed assistance for humanitarian processes of Rakhine State via WFP (World Food Programme) and ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross).

The two sides also emphasized the report on preliminary needs assessment for the repatriation and resettlement of Rakhine IDPs conducted by ASEAN member countries, AHA Centre and ASEAN Secretary-General, financial assistance to supply FM Radios by using ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund and further cooperation works to promote social harmony programmes through the development of women and youths in Rakhine State.

MNA

(Translated by Khine Thazin Han)

Photo: MNA

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UNION Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe addressed the ceremony of Central-Level Refresher Trainer Course for COVID-19 Immunization held with semi-virtual system yesterday morning.

During the ceremony, he said all participants have many years of experience in the immunization industry and are fully aware of the implications of immunization, however, the course aims to let them know the latest information on possible issues related to the COVID-19 vaccination as it is a new vaccine and it seeks to carry out systematic vaccination in the first batch as well as the next batch of the COVID-19 vaccines.

The guidelines have been developed for the vaccination and are sent to respective states and regions. He said the operating guidelines would be updated as more information becomes available. The COVID-19 vaccine, which is being developed worldwide, has only been shown to have efficacy in laboratory and research studies. The extent of its effectiveness is still being studied in practice.

The research is still being conducted on how long it will protect from the virus and how effective the vaccine is after two doses of COVID-19 vaccine. He added the need to continue the COVID-19 protection guidelines, whether a person is vaccinated or not.

The Union Minister also expressed words to thanks to all the participants, including the region/state vaccine officers from Central Expanded Programme on Immunization (Central EPI) They are working hard for the vaccination.

Information about the COVID-19 vaccine is posted for the public on the Ministry’s website and social media and will continue to be published.

The planting date may not be the same from one place to another depending on the number of people to be vaccinated in each state/region, traffic situation and the security situation and hence, it will be carried out under the leadership of the Region/State Public Health Officers.

The Union Minister also added the need to divide the vaccination time and date into areas with a large population in order to prevent the occurrence of crowds in the COVID-19 vaccination.

The Central-Level Refresher Trainer Course is held on 23, and 24 January and the State/Region Level Course will be on 25 and 26 January. Only those who have completed the refresher course will plant the COVID-19 vaccination to the health workers starting on 27 January.

The Township Level Refresher Course will be held on 30 and 31 January. When planting health workers as a first priority, a list of health workers by region/ state has been compiled.

A guideline has been drawn up and disseminated in consultation with the AEFI Committee for monitoring the aftermath of vaccination and providing emergency treatment in the event of an occurrence of side effects.

He said to prepare the medial teams and immunization places according to the population to be vaccinated at the Central level hospitals, COVID-19 treatment centres and health facilities in respective hospitals and health departments.

As the COVID-19 immunization programme must be administered to a group of people over the age of 18, a Consent Form is not required as entry into the immunization site is considered a vaccination agreement but a separate plan will be made for conflict areas.

After that, the discussions were held by the Heads of Region / State Medical, and Public Health Departments and Central Hospital Superintendents and training programmes were held.

MNA

(Translated by Ei Phyu Phyu Aung)

Photo: MNA

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Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Ohn Win, in his capacity as the patron of the Myanmar Gems Emporium Central Committee, presided over its meeting in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

The members of work committees and the Myanmar Gems and Jewellery Entrepreneurs Association reviewed the previous emporiums, and discussed preparations for sale events in the post-COVID-19, depending on the situations of the pandemic.

The committee could not organize an emporium scheduled for January 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19, although it held a preparatory meeting on 9 December 2019.

MNA

(Translated by Aung Khin)

PHOTO: MNA

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A ceremony to donate cash to COVID-19 vaccination fund was held at the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

At the event, donors explained the purpose of the donation, and Chairman of the Fund Management Sub-committee on the Purchase of COVID-19 Vaccines and Union Minister for Planning, Finance and Industry U Soe Win expressed thanks to the donors for their contributions.

The Union Minister and Deputy Minister accepted the cash donated by well-wishers and returned certificates of honour to the donors.

Members of the Fund Management Sub-committee on the Purchase of COVID-19 Vaccines Deputy Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Directors-General and donors who contributed cash between K100 million and K10 million participated in the event.

A Myanmar Currency Account and a Foreign Currency Account were opened at the Myanma Economic Bank in Nay Pyi Taw for COVID-19 Vaccination Fund, and the two accounts were initially deposited K1 billion and US$250 million from State-funding.

Cash contributions from local and foreign donors have been accepted since 6 January. Until 20 January, the cash contributions from local and foreign donors to the vaccination fund amounted to K17,781.337 million and US$ 2.745 million.

Names of the donors have been published in daily newspapers, and local and foreign well-wishers were making cash contributions daily to the vaccination fund.

MNA

(Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)

PHOTO: MNA

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The Ministry of Border Affairs and the Japan-Myanmar Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a human resource development project in the border area at the ministry in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

Union Minister for Border Affairs Lt-Gen Ye Aung made an opening remark at the signing ceremony, and Chair of Japan-Myanmar Association Mr Watanabe Hideo explained the matters relating to the MoU.

Deputy Minister for Border Affairs Major-General Phone Myat and Chair of Japan-Myanmar Association Mr Watanabe Hideo signed the MoU.

During the two years of 2021 and 2020, the ministry and the association, using US$ 0.97 million, will jointly create job opportunities by conducting elderly care trainings for ethnic nationals in border areas.

MNA

(Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)

PHOTO: MNA

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Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing accorded a guard-of-honour welcome to Army General Sergey K.Shoigu, Minister for Defence of Russian Federation, in front Zeyathiri Villa, Nay Pyi Taw, yesterday morning.

Those at the welcoming ceremony were Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Mya Tun Oo, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Tin Aung San, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Maung Maung Kyaw, senior Tatmadaw officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, Deputy Minister for Defence Maj-Gen Myint Nwe, Russian Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Nikolay Listopadov, Russian Deputy Defence Minister Colonel General Alexander V. Fomin, his senior officers and the Russian military attaché in Myanmar.

The meeting was also held at the parlour of Zeyathiri Villa, according to the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services.

MNA

(Translated by Aung Khin)

PHOTO: MNA

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A total of 1.5 million doses of the Covishield vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) arrived at the Yangon International Airport yesterday.

On the government-to-government basis, the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines from India was transported to Myanmar by Air India.

Indian Ambassador Mr Shri Saurabh Kumar handed over the 1.5 million doses of the Covishield vaccines to Director-General from Medical Research Department Professor Dr Zaw Than Tun at the Yangon International Airport.

Regarding the assistance to Myanmar, the Indian Ambassador said that India is providing the home-made vaccines to the partner countries, including Myanmar. He also quoted the Prime Minister of India as saying that India’s vaccine would be useful for fighting the pandemic.

Deputy Director-General of Yangon Region’s Public Health Department Dr Tun Myint said, “It is still necessary to be careful of COVID-19 after being vaccinated the first time. Prevention guidelines are still required to be abided by until the second dose of vaccine is received to avoid the waste of valuable medicines.”

“The vaccines need to be stored in the room temperatures of 2 to 8°C. As some of the previous vaccines were stored in the cool chain room, it is not a problem for the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines will be transported to the central cool chain room and distributed to regions and states,” he added.

The government of India donated the first batch of the COVID-19 vaccines to Myanmar in enhancing Myanmar-India relations and helping Myanmar in the fights against the pandemic.

Second batch of the vaccines will soon arrive in Myanmar.

MNA

(Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)

Photo: Pe zaw

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UNION Minister for Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi joined the opening ceremony of batch 2 of Certificate in Educational Management online course via videoconferencing yesterday afternoon.

The batch 1 of CEM online course was conducted for 8 weeks.

In his opening remark, the Union Minister said that the second course would include basic educational concepts, human resource management, research and planning, reform management and communication skill.

He continued to say that the course will be helpful for the trainee officers in practical management.

The Union Minister also explained the importance of responsibility and accountability with collective strength to ensure quality education that meets with 21st-Century situations, and that supports the establishment of a Democratic Federal Union for all-inclusive education in ethnic areas, while the government is working for the appointment of more teachers in line with the guidelines and setting up more infrastructures.

The Ministry of Education is encouraging the capacity building of teachers, conducting applied research and writing research papers in journals, while conducting teaching-learning courses such as high-tech learning, high touch learning and blended learning.

The Union Minister emphasized that officials who are taking up the role of management are the key players in implementing of the educaiton sector, and that these persons need to avoid bias and follow fair management to win the trust of teachers, students and all the people.

He also advised to have loving-kindness and sympathy in working for the academic and administrative sectors, to collaborate with each other in line with the existing laws and regulations.

The second batch of course will be conducted from 18 January to 18 March 2021.

MNA

(Translated by Aung Khin)

Photo: MNA

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