Seven States Bought Up To 6m Sinovac Doses Selangor Tops Order List

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Pharmaniaga Bhd said today nearly half of the 14 million Sinovac vaccine doses it plans to sell from next month have been ordered by various state governments running initiatives parallel to the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP).
Pharmaniaga group managing director Zulkarnain Md Eusope (above) said in an online press briefing that the Selangor government topped the list of states with an order for 2.5 million Sinovac doses.
He said other states that had indicated initial interest are Pahang, Perak, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak, with total orders from all the seven states amounting to about six million doses.
The remaining doses would be sold to the private sector, including hospitals that will begin to offer Sinovac vaccines beginning Aug 1, as announced by the coordinating minister for NIP Khairy Jamaluddin earlier today.
"Again, as I said before, now the race is between the vaccination rates and the virus.
"So, simultaneously the private sector initiative that we run parallel with NCIP will start soon, and then we'll help Malaysia to win the race," Zulkarnain said.
Quizzed on the delivery of vaccines, Zulkarnain said a portion of Selangor's orders has been delivered ahead of time in light of its current record-high numbers of positive Covid-19 cases, while the remaining will be available after Aug 1.
Future business plans
He said Pharmaniaga is also prepared to support the federal government in the event of any delays from other vaccine suppliers, in order to maintain the high vaccination rates that reached a record of over 500,000 doses yesterday.
At the same time, Zulkarnain said Pharmaniaga's future business plans include looking at other foreign markets with interest to purchase the Sinovac vaccine.
Earlier today, Khairy, who is also science, technology and innovations minister, said the government was allowing Pharmaniaga to sell Sinovac to get more people vaccinated quicker.
He also said the Special Committee for Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) will be regulating the sales, including by setting a ceiling price.
“The JKJAV, co-chaired by (Health Minister) Dr Adham Baba and myself, will meet next week to decide on the guidelines for the private sales of vaccines, including (setting) the ceiling price, so that these vaccines are not sold at too high a price in Malaysia,” Khairy added. - Mkini

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