Health Min: a new production line to produce Sinopharm's Chinese vaccine in Egypt and will be exported to African countries

CAIRO -12 December 2020: Egypt's Minister of Health Hala Zayed said that there was a new production line in Vacsera factories to produce Sinopharm's Chinese vaccine in Egypt, in addition to ongoing negotiations with the company producing the vaccine to manufacture it inside the country.

 

 

She added "If the manufacturing step in Egypt takes place inside Vacsera, we will export the vaccine to African countries after being produced. "

 

 

Zayed added the ministry had launched a website that was presented to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the government, indicating whoever wishes to receive the vaccination must register his data, then the ministry will communicate with individuals to receive the vaccine without human intervention.

 

 

Zayed confirmed, during a phone call via DMC, that she participated in the clinical trials, received two doses of the vaccine, and performed an antibody analysis.

 

 

Zayed commented on Egypt's access to the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine against the Coronavirus, saying: “Egypt deserves to be the first deservedly in everything, and we received the vaccine to vaccinate the Egyptians to limit the spread of the virus.

 

 

The Minister of Health indicated that the state had medical refrigerators capable of saving 110 million doses of the Corona vaccine, saying: “We have started medical campaigns nationwide; many citizens have been treated, furthermore, the initiative of 100 million healths has produced a health database for Egyptians.

 

 

"The vaccine will be free for all Egyptians because treating Corona is the responsibility of the state, and it must be provided," she said.

 

 

"It has been agreed with the medical committee and the committee concerned with vaccinations to vaccinate patients who require medical care, especially those working in isolation hospitals, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases," she said.

 

 

"The country is working on more than one path regarding the emerging coronavirus vaccine, and we will get other quantities of the vaccine," she said, adding that the country is currently negotiating with AstraZnic, where an agreement has been approved with the International Alliance for Serums and Vaccines that will provide us with 20 million doses.

 

 

"14% of those who receive the vaccine are at risk of contracting the Coronavirus," Zayed said.

 

 

Egyptian Minister of State for Information Osama Heikal said Egypt was the first African country to obtain the Chinese Sinopharm’s coronavirus vaccine, thanks to good ties with China and the clinical trials Egypt has conducted.

 

 

Heikal said Egypt was the second country to receive the Chinese vaccine after the UAE and could receive its first batch before the European Union, noting that it reflects the Egyptian government’s success in dealing with the coronavirus crisis since it has started.

 

 

The Egyptian Health Ministry on Thursday night said the first batch of the Chinese vaccine arrived at the Cairo International Airport, coming from the UAE.

 

 

Sinopharm’s vaccine, according to UAE and Egypt, has an 86-percent efficacy against the coronavirus. It has been involved in clinical trials in Egypt over the past few months. Minister Zayed was one of the volunteers.