KUALA LUMPUR – National pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga Bhd (Pharmaniaga) has expressed its willingness to provide additional supplies of its “fill-and-finish” method for vaccine vials, should the government intend to continue using the Sinovac vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
Addressing recent reports on the government’s possible discontinuation of the China-made vaccine, Pharmaniaga in a statement said the company has offered to increase the supply of the vaccine for two million doses, pending an official response from the government.
“Pharmaniaga would like to refer to the media reports yesterday and realised there was confusion involving the statements and headlines on the supply of the Sinovac vaccine being stopped/ended.
“The company has contacted the relevant parties and have found the statements and headlines to be untrue,” it said.
According to the company, it has already fulfilled the supply of 12 million Sinovac vaccines under its “fill-and-finish” method for vaccine vials before July 21, over four months earlier than originally scheduled.
“The supply of 12 million doses involves six million doses for the first dose and another six million doses for the second dose.
“In light of the first dose being distributed nationwide already reaching almost six million doses, a directive was issued to stop the delivery for the first dose and to focus on the distribution of the second dose.
“This is to avoid instances of no stocks for the second dose should more than six million of Sinovac first-dose vaccines have been administered.”
In thanking the government for its trust in the company, Pharmaniaga said it will continue to supply the Sinovac vaccine to state governments, government agencies and private entities that have been waiting for the supply to help accelerate vaccinations.
Pharmaniaga’s response comes after Covid-19 immunisation programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin told The Vibes that Sinovac will no longer be a part of the government’s Covid-19 vaccination roll-out, but private entities are still allowed to use it in their programmes.
Khairy, who oversees the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force, said he will be addressing the matter in a press conference today.
This comes after Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba’s press conference, yesterday where he said the remaining Sinovac jabs will be reserved for those who need them to complete their second dose.
Dr Adham had said that Malaysia has enough Pfizer jabs as the country imported more than 44 million doses of it, compared with its 16 million doses of Sinovac. – The Vibes, July 16, 2021
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