Egypt to possess 148.2m Covid vaccine doses by year end

Egypt will have up to 148.2 million doses of Covid vaccines by the end of 2021, which will be sufficient to vaccinate 83.7 million citizens, according to Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed.

Raw materials enough to produce 70.2 million of China’s Sinovac vaccine are due to arrive here as in August through the end of the year, Zayed told a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli at the new government headquarters at New Alamein City.

In addition, Egypt will also receive 20 million doses of Sputnik V, 20 million doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine, 35.6 million of AstraZeneca, and 2.4 million of Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, over the coming four months, the minister told the meeting.

She noted that infection and death rates are remarkably declining in the country.

She reviewed updates on the emergence of Delta variant of coronavirus, which was first detected in India, in many countries and the effect of available vaccines on it.

She referred to an agreement with UNICEF to get 63 refrigerators with a storage capacity of 619,000 doses to receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines that will arrive within days to Egypt.

Premier Madbouli lauded the tireless work to offer vaccines to the Egyptian people, and the efforts to increase local manufacturing of the jabs.

Minister Zayed told the meeting that arrangements have already been made in 125 centres nationwide, for the vaccination of Egyptians who are traveling abroad, where data will be registered and QR codes issued.

Vaccination will take place in 72 hours after the registration, for those leaving for the US, the European Union and Gulf countries.

Zayed highlighted the efforts to provide due medical care in coastal areas, which attract Egyptians through the summer season. Hospitals and other medical centres at these areas are offered sufficient logistical aid, she said.

In the North Coast, for instance, mobile healthcare teams have been deployed along the main road, and at the entrances of tourist villages to provide initial examination, first aid and medications, she said. More ambulances have also been offered for emergencies.

Minister Zayed pointed to a recent event by the World Health Organisation (WHO) aiming to raise awareness on Hepatitis C. It appreciated Egypt’s experience in countering the disease, as a model for achieving the best outcome, and of investing in health.

Madbouli underlined the importance of increasing vaccination rates of citizens within the coming period, lauding efforts to locally-manufacture the Covid 19 vaccine.