MENA - Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli on Monday5/7/2021 said that Egypt has sought, since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, to possess potentials enabling it to manufacture vaccines against the virus locally.

In a press conference he gave while following up the production of the first batch of Sinovac vaccine at VACSERA factory, the prime minister said that President Abdel Fattah El Sisi issued directives to the government to prioritize this goal. Madbouli said the world's high demand for the vaccine made some companies the government contracted with delay their shipments' delivery to Egypt. 

The prime minister thanked the government of China for supporting Egypt in that respect, pointing out that Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed and state officials contacted the Chinese partners and got their approval to produce the vaccine in Egypt

The prime minister said one million Sinovac doses have been produced so far, pointing out that the current capacity of the factory reached 300,000 doses per shift. He said the challenge the government faces is receiving the raw materials necessary for producing the vaccine, however Egypt discussed with the Chinese side doubling the amount of the raw materials to be delivered to it.

Madbouli said an agreement was reached with the company's head office to supply Egypt with the materials needed for manufacturing 80 million doses enough for vaccinating 40 million citizens.