On Monday, Egypt’s Health Minister Hala Zayed met with the Russian Ambassador to Cairo, Georgy Borisenko, to discuss importing Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine into Egypt.
The meeting was also attended by Assistant Minister of Health and Population for Public Health Initiatives, Mohamed Hassany, and Head of the Central Department for Technical Support and Director of the Technical Office of the Minister of Health and Population Nevin al-Nahhas.
On top of importing the vaccine, the attendees also discussed the possibility of manufacturing Sputnik V in Egypt, to ensure that Egypt’s needs for vaccines are met and to increase exports of the vaccine to other African countries, ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed reported.
The ministry is actively seeking opportunities to secure more doses and vaccinate Egypt’s population, Megahed said, pointing out that Sputnik V obtained the approval of the Egyptian Drug Authority in February.
The Russian vaccine, like many others, is given in two doses – with 21 days between each dose.
Borisenko affirmed his country’s full support to Egypt in addressing the pandemic, stressing that he is working to expedite the approval procedures to send Sputnik V to Cairo.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
FILE PHOTO: A specialist works during the production of Gam-COVID-Vac, also known as Sputnik-V, vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at a facility of BIOCAD biotechnology company in Saint Petersburg, Russia December 4, 2020. REUTERS/Anton Vaganov
