The Ministry of Interior’s General Department of Prisons (GDP) has vaccinated over 73 per cent of the 37,000 inmates throughout the country as of August 5 and is continuing to vaccinate prisoners in seven remaining provinces with the US-donated Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 jabs.

GDP spokesman Nouth Savna told The Post on August 5 that GDP director-general Chhem Savuth has requested that prisoners in the seven provinces receive the Johnson & Johnson jabs so that all inmates will be fully vaccinated.

“On August 3, we vaccinated prisoners in Tbong Khmum province with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” he said.

“We will continue to vaccinate the remaining 4,907 prisoners with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin, Kampong Chhnang, Kratie, Stung Treng and Mondulkiri provinces. We hope to complete the vaccination of prisoners soon,” he added.

He continued that the GDP had enough vaccines for prisoners and there was also the UK-donated AstraZeneca vaccines. Vaccines will also be administered to GDP frontline officials.

Savna said that the Delta variant had penetrated communities. So, the GDP is looking at ways to tighten prison conditions nationwide to prevent the spread of the variant.

Ministry of Health spokeswoman Or Vandine told reporters during the launch of the vaccination campaign in Tbong Khmum on August 3 that inmates would not be left behind.

“Some of our prisoners in the provinces are already vaccinated. Our brothers and sisters have been vaccinated according the vaccination schedule because we cannot just sit around. Once there are vaccines, we urge people to be vaccinated. So, some provinces had used the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines.

“We hope that all prisoners nationwide will be fully vaccinated. No one will be left behind,” she said.