AstraZeneca scours supply chain for more vaccine doses for Southeast Asia
Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca on July 24 said it is "scouring" its global supply chain to try and boost COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Thailand and Southeast Asia, Reuters reported.
Hanoi (VNA) – Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca onJuly 24 said it is "scouring" its global supply chain to try andboost COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Thailand and Southeast Asia, Reuters reported.
The statement came after leaked letters showed last weekthat the drugmaker had offered to supply 5-6 million vaccine doses a month toThailand, contradicting assertions by Thai officials that the government isowed 10 million a month and 61 million doses by end-2021.
AstraZeneca is scouring over 20 supply chains in itsworldwide manufacturing network to find additional vaccines for Southeast Asia,including Thailand, said James Teague, managing director of AstraZenecaThailand.
"We are hopeful of importing additional doses in themonths ahead," he added.
Teague said AstraZeneca has delivered 9 million does so farto Thailand and will deliver 2.3 million more next week.
Thailand has fully inoculated just 5.56 percent of itspopulation of more than 66 million so far, while 18.62 percent have received atleast one dose, government data shows.
The drugmaker had previously said vaccine doses for Thailandand Southeast Asia would come from a plant of its Thai partner Siam Bioscience,owned by Thailand's king.
Siam Bioscience has not commented on reports of productionshortfalls or delivery timelines.
Pressure has been mounting on the company after Thailandsaid it was considering imposing limits on exports of locally manufacturedAstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to shore up domestic supplies, a move that couldhit its neighbours, some of which are battling similar or more severe COVID-19crises./.
Australia will share 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses with Vietnam by the end of 2021, announced Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Minister for International Development and the Pacific Zed Seselja on July 14.
Vietnam is expected to receive 3 million doses of Moderna vaccine donated by the US government through COVAX facility this week, said Prof. Dr. Dang Duc Anh, Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology on July 19.
Vietnam receives additional 3,000,060 doses of COVID-19 Moderna vaccine donated through the COVAX Facility by the United States Government, of which, 1,499,960 arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on July 24 and 1,500,100 doses will arrive in Hanoi the next day.
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Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
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COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
