Vacsera’s new covid vaccine manufacturing facility is set to open at the end of November, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly said during a visit to the factory yesterday. The facility, located in 6 October, will produce 3 million doses every day, or 1 billion doses annually.
The facility will produce an Egypt-made match to China’s Sinovac, using Sinovac’s manufacturing tech and know-how. The locally produced vaccine adheres to international specifications and standards and has been approved by the WHO.
Vacsera’s Director, Dr. Heba Wali confirmed in a phone interview with Sada Al-Balad TV channel last week that the first million doses of the Vacsera-Sinovac vaccine are ready for use after being delivered to the Ministry of Health. The doses were produced locally and approved by the Medicines Authority.
Heba Wali said that a team is working more than 19 hours per day to produce the local Sinovac vaccine.
She explained that the political leadership wants to achieve self-sufficiency in COVID-19 vaccine production.
It is equally important to the government to be able to have a stock of vaccines to export through the Middle East and Africa. The Vacsera factory will help position Egypt as a vaccine-making hub for export on a continental level. Health Minister, Hala Zayed, stated that a vaccine “recognized in 100% of countries” will be manufactured in partnership with an unnamed Europe-based vaccine maker. These negotiations are reportedly at an advanced stage, bringing hope that there will be alternatives to the Sinovac for those who are skeptical about it.
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