Like many countries around the world, Egypt's healthcare system has been impacted by the COVID-19. When the pandemic was at its peak in 2020, a shortage of Covid-19 vaccines and medicines was a common problem.
In response to this problem, Egypt has agreed with the Vaccine Alliance, to secure its share of the potential vaccine against the epidemic. Though the vaccine doesn’t guarantee 100 percent protection against the virus, it is essential as it reduces the severity of its symptoms. The vaccine's effect will last from 3 to 12 months.
According to domestic reports, the Ministry of Health expects new batches of Covid-19 vaccine, Sinopharm from China and Oxford/AstraZeneca, to arrive by the end of this week.
As soon as the batches arrive, the government will start calling on the public to take the vaccine which will be available free of charge.
Lately, Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed noted that the vaccines have obtained emergency approval from the World Health Organisation, accordingly, the Egyptian government was able to receive its share.
“As soon as the vaccine reaches the country, the ministry will activate the website on which the public can log on and register their names to take the vaccine. The ministry will start giving the public the vaccine on 1 February,” Khalid Megahed, the spokesman of the Health Ministry said.
Moreover, he said the vaccine will be available at the ministry’s hospitals and medical centres throughout the governorates.
According to the Ministry of Health, 86 percent of those who were exposed to the coronavirus after receiving the vaccine did not get sick, and 14 percent showed only slight symptoms. Some 99% of those who received the vaccine produced antibodies.
"Health authorities had approved the emergency use of the Chinese vaccine earlier this year. The first batch of vaccines, which arrived in December, was tested by the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) to ensure its safety for use," Zayed had declared at the time.
The first batch of the British vaccine should also be arriving soon. Zayed announced last week that the registration of the vaccine by the EDA “is around the corner”. Once the EDA approval is clinched, Egypt will sign the deal for the import of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
In the same context, Egypt, in collaboration with Russia, is getting ready to produce the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in Egypt.
Mohamed Hassani, assistant to the minister of health for initiatives and member of the ministry’s Scientific Committee to Combat Covid-19, told Al-Ahram newspaper Egypt will be manufacturing the vaccine to cover the needs of Africa and the Middle East region.
According to Hassani, the Sputnik V vaccine will be manufactured in Egypt and Algeria to fulfil the needs of all African countries.
“Russia is ready to transfer technology to produce this vaccine in Egypt which has an adequate production base,” said a statement by the Russian Embassy in Egypt, adding that this will allow for the widest possible vaccination campaign.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, and Pharco, one of the leading pharmaceutical groups in Egypt, acting through its key operational subsidiary Biogeneric Pharma, have agreed to secure the supply of 25 million doses of the Russian vaccine for Egypt, according to a September 2020 announcement on the Sputnik V website.
It's worth mentioning that this is not the first time Egypt participates in clinical studies on Coronavirus vaccines. It has conducted clinical trials in cooperation with the Chinese Health authorities and the UAE G42 Healthcare Company on the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine in its third phase last year with 3,000 volunteers.
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