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The first phase of the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccine in Jamaica is expected to cost more than US$8 million.
Parliament's Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) was on Thursday told that a down payment of a little more than US$1 million has been made.
Dunstan Bryan, Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, said the balance will be paid from the next budget.
"The subsidized costs for the 20 per cent is US$8.2 million and we have had the initial deposit of about $1.1 million through CARPHA, which is the Caribbean Public Health Agency. And so, the balance we are programming for fiscal year 2021/22," he said.
Asked by PAAC Chairman Mikael Phillips whether the second phased of the vaccine was also calculated in that budget, Mr. Bryan said it would depend on "what happens with the first phase."
"Now the first phase we are anticipating to last a good six months or so because remember now, you have to first give the first dose and then there's a period of time that you get a second dose," he sought to explain.
Under the initial rollout, 15 per cent of the population will be vaccinated.
Mr. Bryan said Jamaica is still scheduled to start receiving the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine between April and June, as it is anticipated that first world countries will "crowd out the market in the first, say three or four months."
Health workers and vulnerable persons will be administered the first batch of the vaccine.
Jamaica is among six Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) member states which have been provided with the full down payment required for the COVAX Facility.
The COVAX Facility is designed to accelerate equitable access by countries globally to safe COVID-19 vaccines.
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