KUALA LUMPUR – National pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga Bhd will supply the country with 3.8 million vials of the Sinovac Covid-19 jabs by the end of June, Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.
He said this does not include the 10.4 million bottles that have been ordered directly from China, which are expected to reach the country by the end of August.
Ismail said Pharmaniaga’s plant in Malaysia has so far bottled 1.8 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine, following its agreement with Chinese manufacturers in January this year to supply 12 million doses.
He added that Pharmaniaga will be able to fill and finish another two million by the end of June, for a total 3.8 million vials.
The minister said that so far, the country has imported 1.4 million Sinovac doses. Another three million are to arrive in the country in June, July, and August.
“We believe that with the total number of vaccines ready, or those to be acquired by the end of June, Pharmaniaga is capable of helping the government expedite the process of vaccinating the people,” he told a press conference after visiting Pharmaniaga’s vaccine facility today.
He said the issue of vaccine shortage will no longer arise as Pharmaniaga is able to provide a total of 8.2 million bottles by the end of June, including the doses that are imported.
“I hope that with the Pharmaniaga Life and Science plant (Pharmaniaga’s subsidiary), we will be able to help the government in the process of vaccinating the people.”
Ismail added that the facility can bottle up to 500,000 doses a week, which adds up to two million bottles a month, which can be administered immediately.
He said that up till yesterday, the local vaccine bottling plant had packaged 1,889,800 doses for distribution.
“From the total, 290,480 doses have been distributed to the Health Ministry from May 11, 2021,” he said. – The Vibes, May 23, 2021
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