KUALA LUMPUR – State governments have ordered nearly half of the 14 million Sinovac vaccine doses that Pharmaniaga Bhd intends to sell, in line with initiatives under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
Group managing director Datuk Zulkarnain Md Eusope said the Selangor government is, so far, the biggest purchaser, submitting an order for 2.5 million doses.
He also announced the order amount of other states including Perak, Pahang, Johor, Negri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak, which amounts to about six million doses in total (including Selangor).
The remaining eight million doses will be sold to the private sector, including hospitals, interested in offering the Sinovac vaccine from August 1.
“The race now is between the vaccination rate and virus. In terms of the private sector initiative, which will run alongside the national programme, we will be able to help the country win the race soon.”
Zulkarnain said a batch has already been delivered to Selangor due to the high number of Covid-19 cases in the state.
Pharmaniaga is also prepared to aid the federal government should any delay occur in the supply of coronavirus vaccine from other suppliers, he added.
“We are willing to step in so that the high vaccination rate, which reached a record of over 500,000 doses yesterday, can be maintained,” he said, adding that the firm is looking to sell its Sinovac vaccine to foreign markets.
His response comes after Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced that Pharmaniaga’s Sinovac supply will be sold to the private sector from next month.
Khairy said the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee will be regulating the sales, including setting a ceiling price for the vaccine. – The Vibes, July 23, 2021
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