São Paulo – Egypt intends to be self-sufficient in the production of vaccines against COVID-19. Egyptian pharmaceutical company Pharco wants to start producing Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine by the end of the year. Egypt also expects to begin manufacturing China’s Sinovac vaccine and is in talks to produce UK’s AstraZeneca. In addition, research is underway to develop an Egyptian vaccine, Egypt’s newspaper Al Ahram reported.
According to a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, three million shots will be manufactured daily in a new complex of the Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA), an Egyptian company. The complex was established at a total cost of USD 33 million and is the largest vaccine production plant in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The site has eight laboratories and the capacity to store 150 million shots at appropriate temperatures.
The Egyptian Ministry of Health stated the VACSERA complex is expected to produce 40 million shots of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine this year and 2 million shots within a month.
About two million people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the Arab country since February, and another 3.5 million have registered for vaccination. The number of vaccination centers has increased to 400 nationwide to cater to the increased demand.
The Ministry informed that Egypt initially aims at self-sufficiency in the production of vaccines. Later on, it could start exporting vaccines to Arab and African countries.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
