HCMC – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has told domestic drugmakers to do whatever it takes to make Covid-19 vaccines available by June 2022 at the latest.
During a visit to the Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No.1 (Vabiotech) under the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, PM Chinh reiterated the need to have a vaccination strategy that steps up Covid-19 vaccine imports and local production.
A successful vaccination strategy is extremely important as it is the most effective solution to curb the pandemic and get the country back to normal, the local media reported.
However, vaccine supplies may fall short until September and vaccine production technology transfers cannot be done overnight.
Vietnam can produce Covid-19 vaccines early as it has been able to produce vaccines for many other diseases.
The Government assigned the Ministry of Health and the relevant agencies to have plans on Covid-19 vaccine production technology transfer and domestic production.
The Government leader also agreed to partially fund vaccine development projects.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said some local drugmakers had prepared production facilities. A large-scale Covid-19 vaccine plant is expected to be put into operation at the end of this year, or early next year at the latest.
The ministry has urged Vabiotech to have Sputnik V vaccine production technology transferred from Russia in two phases. In the first phase, Vabiotech will import the vaccine and start packaging it from June.
In the second phase, a plant will be built to increase the packaging capacity to 100-150 million doses per year. Moreover, Vietnam will continue working with the Russian side to receive production technology and build a production plant.
