PHNOM PENH (Xinhua): Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Tuesday that the government has raised more than US$30 million from local donors, just a day after he announced to purchase and provide free Covid-19 vaccines to the people.
"The spirit of solidarity and the culture of sharing among our Cambodian people in the fight against Covid-19 are tremendous," he wrote on his official Facebook page.
"So far, the proceeds the charitable people have donated have risen to more than $30 million."
Fund raising is still going on, he added.
The donations from patriotic well-to-do people have started pouring in since Monday evening after Hun Sen announced to buy and provide free Covid-19 vaccines for Cambodian people.
The prime minister said that he had advised Health Minister Mam Bunheng to consult with development partners, particularly with the World Health Organization, to select a producing country where the kingdom should purchase the vaccines from.
Also, he had told Economy and Finance Minister Aun Pornmoniroth to prepare a budget to buy one million doses of the vaccines in the first phase to provide people at a high risk of getting infections such as medical staff, teachers, armed forces, and street cleaners among others.
"The vaccines will be provided to our people free-of-charge in the first phase," he said, adding that in the second phase, the kingdom will purchase about two million to three million doses.
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