[UPDATED] China’s Sinopharm vaccines now at clinics, private hospitals

KUALA LUMPUR – Sinopharm’s double-dose Covid-19 vaccine is now available at clinics and private hospitals nationwide via product registration holder Duopharma Sdn Bhd.

The first shipments of the Sinopharm vaccine arrived in Malaysia in batches from last month and has a shelf life of 24 months.

In a statement today, Duopharma said the Sinopharm vaccine is packaged in 0.5ml vials, and requires cold storage temperatures of between 2°C and 8°C.

Administration of the vaccine is fully integrated into the national immunisation system, where the vaccines are tracked based on the Vaccine Management System provided by the Health Ministry of Health, with real-time integration of both MyVAS and the MySejahtera app. 

Vaccinees receiving their first and second doses will have these recorded on their MySejahtera accounts, and will receive their digital certificate accordingly.

For vaccination of large groups, such as the workforce in manufacturing facilities, Duopharma Biotech, via collaboration with healthcare organisers, provides private vaccination services as well as mobile vaccine clinics, which is supported by a team of medical professionals, paramedics, site managers and an operations and administration team.

Earlier, Duopharma Biotech entered into an agreement to import the vaccine from Beijing, China. Duopharma, a wholly owned subsidiary of Duopharma Biotech, has been authorised by Sinopharm as the product registration holder and to engage in the sales and distribution of the vaccine.

In July, the Health Ministry’s Drug Control Authority (DCA) approved the conditional registration of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine for use in Malaysia. 

The vaccine is also included in the World Health Organisation’s emergency use listing (EUL) and is approved for emergency use in more than 65 countries, including in various European Union countries, with more than 100 million doses supplied worldwide. 

In addition, Sinopharm is among six brands of Covid-19 vaccines recognised by Saudi Arabia, allowing Muslims who have been administered with the vaccine to perform haj or umrah in Mecca. The Sinopharm vaccine is currently indicated for use in individuals aged 18 to 59 years old. – The Vibes, October 15, 2021