DP World has assisted the Dominican Republic to overcome the pandemic by helping the delivery of more than eight million Covid-19 vaccine doses in the country.
Working in close collaboration with the government, staff at the DP World Caucedo terminal and economic zone near Santo Domingo played a crucial role in procuring the vaccines, with the first doses arriving at the port in March this year.
“DP World provided financial support together with other private sector companies in the Dominican Republic to secure millions of vaccines for the country,” said CEO of DP World Caucedo, Morten Johansen, who added that the first doses started to arrive in March, and the company has continued to collaborate with the government on this.
DP World Caucedo has remained operational throughout the pandemic, ensuring the smooth flow of healthcare supplies and other essential goods, not only in the Dominican Republic but also in the wider Caribbean.
The extensive logistics facilities in the economic zone enabled vaccine doses to be safely stored and then distributed around the country, while staff at the terminal of San Dominico also took an active role in assisting with the vaccination program by establishing two clinics to allow local communities and employees receiving the vaccine.
DP World has also donated funds for the purchase of masks, personal protective equipment (PPE) and five much-needed ventilators, according to a statement.
To date, around 80% of Caucedo’s 1,400 staff have been double vaccinated, along with more than 2,500 local residents. In addition, over 10.84 million doses of vaccine have now been administered nationwide, according to the most recent data from Reuters.
“All the administration and processes for signing people up to get vaccinated at the two clinics was handled by volunteers from our staff. We’ve been very successful in vaccinating both the local community and the trucker community that comes in and out of the port here on a daily basis,” commented Johansen.
