Closing Ceremony Marks Successful Completion of the Moderna Project

Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB) and Bhutan Foundation jointly held the closing ceremony of the COVID-19 Vaccine Reactogenicity and Immunogenicity, and Capacity Building Project (the “Moderna Project”) on 13 November 2026. The ceremony was graced by Hon’ble Health Minister Tandin Wangchuk and was attended by representatives of partner agencies, project donors, health professionals and members of the university community.

The four-and-a-half-year project ran from January 2022 to June 2026. It began as a vaccine study and grew into a national investment in laboratories, systems and people. It was launched under a Grant Agreement signed on 15 February 2022 between the Gross National Happiness Commission, Bhutan Foundation and KGUMSB. With funding exceeding USD 3 million, KGUMSB implemented the project with the Royal Centre for Disease Control (RCDC), Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) and the Ministry of Health.

What the project delivered?

Vaccine research: A study of the uptake, immunogenicity and reactogenicity of the mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccine among adults and adolescents, with participants across six public sampling sites.
Equipment: Laboratory and ICT equipment for RCDC, JDWNRH and KGUMSB, now in daily use for testing, teaching and research.
Bhutan Vaccine System: A new vaccine efficacy module, so vaccination and vaccine-efficacy data now sit on one national platform.
Training: More than 200 laboratory professionals trained in Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) across all districts, and 1,417 health workers trained in infection prevention.
Stronger laboratory services: ELISA testing, including HIV confirmatory testing, now available at regional hospitals, and the first National Laboratory Symposium, held in June 2026 with 85 participants.
Future experts: Three long-term scholarships (one PhD in Bioinformatics and two MSc degrees), a research mentorship programme (B-SMART 3.0) and a new BSc in Medical Laboratory Technology.

KGUMSB extends its sincere gratitude to the Bhutan Foundation, Moderna Inc., the Ministry of Health, RCDC, JDWNRH and all partners who made the project possible.