Seasonal flu vaccine available for LE 200 per dose: Egyptian Ministry of Health
FILE PHOTO: A health worker fills a syringe with Ebola vaccine before injecting it into a patient, in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, August 5, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/File Photo
CAIRO – August 21, 2022: Annual seasonal flu vaccines are available and will be distributed nationwide, state-owned biologics and vaccines company ‘Vacsera’ announced on Saturday, Ministry of Health spokesman Health Hossam Abdel Ghaffar in a statement.
He added that a vaccine injection costs EGP 190 plus EGP 10 for service charge, noting that the cold chain transport ensures the safety of the vaccines until they are distributed throughout the country.
The flu vaccine is effective in preventing infection with the disease by 50 to 60 percent, he continued.
Vacsera is proceeding with the localization of the pharmaceutical industry in the country, as directed by political leaders, said Chairman of the Board, Dr. Heba Wali.
Dr. Wali noted that the authority is seeking to put Egypt on the map of the global pharmaceutical market, through investments in pharmaceutical manufacturing. In this regard, she added that two factories are currently being set up for human and veterinary vaccines.
Dr. Heba Wali further said that a huge infrastructure is being prepared for pharmaceutical manufacturing and securing medicines for all Egyptians, noting that the company aims to produce 8 major vaccines through the transfer agreement of manufacturing technology concluded between the Indian company Serm, one of the largest vaccine manufacturers in the world and Vacsera.
The head of the Holding for Biologicals and Vaccines explained that “the vaccine complex produces vaccines for dogs, snakes, scorpions, snakes and tetanus, and also has a plant for the production of human insulin” , adding that 30 million doses of the Corona vaccines have been produced in accordance with the agreement signed with China, noting that these vaccines are of high quality and can be exported abroad after meeting the country’s needs.
The Vacsera industrial complex, located in the city of October, is expected to produce 400 million doses of veterinary vaccines against avian influenza, in addition to 7 other vaccines related to animal production.
The complex can produce 300 million doses of human vaccines, including Corona vaccines, through a human vaccine packaging factory and production line, she added.
“We have provided 8 production control laboratories included in the complex, equipped with the latest devices for measuring the quality of production in the various stages of manufacture, the storage capacity of the cold storage complex for vaccines exceeding 150 million doses “, added Dr. Wali. .
She pointed out that thanks to the support and guidance of political leaders, “Egypt has become one of the 6 leading countries in the field of vaccine transfer and manufacturing technology.”
“Egypt is poised to become a regional center for the production and manufacturing of local vaccines on the African continent, in addition to being an important center in the field of vaccine storage and refrigeration technology” , said Dr. Wali.
She underlined the importance of the role of the logistics complex in building Egyptian capacity in the field of vaccine storage, as the cooling logistics complex will be the largest vaccine storage complex at the level of the African continent, highlighting the importance of confronting Corona virus and various epidemic diseases.
