Malaysia strives to secure access to COVID-19 vaccines for all

Malaysia has secured a total of 66.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, enough to cover its entire population, according to a handbook setting out the country’s vaccination programme launched on February 16.
KualaLumpur (VNA) – Malaysia has secured a total of 66.7 million doses ofCOVID-19 vaccines, enough to cover its entire population, according to ahandbook setting out the country’s vaccination programme launched on February16.

Lastyear, Malaysia’s population was estimated at 32.73 million.

Malaysiahas signed an agreement with the US’s Pfizer for a total of 32 million doses,enough to cover 50 percent of the population. The nation also ordered 12million doses of Sinovac vaccine and 3.5 million doses from CanSinoBio, bothfrom China, enough for another 29.75 percent of the population.

Italso plans to receive 6.4 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik vaccine and 12.8million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.

Exceptfor the CanSinoBio vaccine, the rest will require two doses administered atvarying intervals.

Thevaccination programme is scheduled to start in Malaysia on February 26.

InIndonesia, PT Bio Farma Indonesia (Persero) has begun production of 11 milliondoses of COVID-19 vaccine from raw materials provided by Sinovac.

Theprocessing started on February 13 and is expected to be completed on March 20,said Persero spokesman Bambang Hariyanto. Of the total, nine million doses willbe ready to be administered on governmental officials.

Inearly this month, Sinovac has provided 11 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine toIndonesia, raising the total doses the country has secured to 28 million.

Accordingto the Indonesian Ministry of Health, the country confirmed more 10,029 newCOVID-19 cases on February 16, bringing the national tally to more than 1.23million cases. The death toll increased by 229 to 33,596 people./.
VNA

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