MoH works with Zuellig Pharma and businesses on supply of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines

Vietnam’s Ministry of Health had an online meeting with Zuellig Pharma on May 28

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long proposed Zuellig Pharma to supply Vietnam with the vaccine as soon as possible at the most reasonable price to enable the country to timely and effectively prevent and fight against the pandemic.

In return, Zuellig Pharma promised to soon discuss Vietnam's proposal with Moderna.

On the same day, the minister also had a meeting with representatives from the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, the Embassy of South Korea in Vietnam, and from foreign business associations from India, Europe, the UK, and Japan, and foreign businesses like Samsung Vietnam, SK, LG, and others to discuss the supply of COVID-19 vaccines for Vietnam, as well as the inoculation of workers at factories at industrial zones.

The meeting with representatives from embassies, foreign business associations, and foreign-invested enterprises

Minister Long affirmed that ensuring vaccine access is one of the priorities of the country and that the government is doing its best to increase access as fast as possible to increase vaccine coverage.

Despite the short supply of vaccines, Vietnam has been controlling the pandemic well and has been hit less heavily than most others around the globe. While this is a positive outcome, it has restricted Vietnam's access to COVID-19 vaccines as suppliers give priority to higher-risk areas.

During the meeting, the sides discussed different approaches to COVID-19 control; direct imports of COVID-19 vaccines by foreign businesses to vaccinate their workers; cost-sharing mechanisms to secure vaccine supply, and many others.

The participants have shown strong inclination to support the cost-sharing mechanism to help ease the financial burden on the Vietnamese government and people.

At the meeting, Minister Long said that the COVAX Facility pledged to provide 38.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for Vietnam and that Vietnam also proposed the facility to supply 10 million additional doses under a cost-sharing scheme.

The minister also expressed hope that the embassies and businesses of the sponsoring countries of the COVAX Facility will support Vietnam in securing more vaccines.

Vaccines stop variants but overseas travel still not safe: WHO

EU lawmakers back Covid vaccines patent waiver

One dose of Covid vaccine cuts household spread by up to 50%: UK study

ADB lifts Asia growth forecast on Covid-19 vaccines, export demand