Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at a meeting with local Covid-19 vaccine researchers and producers on August 12. The first local Covid-19 vaccine is expected to come out in September - PHOTO: VGP

HCMC – If everything goes well, Vietnam may launch its first Covid-19 vaccine in September, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

At a meeting with scientists and enterprises participating in the research and development of local Covid-19 vaccines on August 12, the Government leader said the Government and the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control had issued directives on the development of local vaccines, the local media reported.

In order to ensure sufficient vaccine supplies for local residents, the country has concurrently imported vaccines, asked for the transfer of vaccine production technology and developed local vaccines.

PM Chinh said producing local vaccines was also an opportunity to develop the local pharmaceutical sector.

After October, some 60 million Covid-19 vaccine doses are expected to arrive in Vietnam. Projects producing vaccines based on the technology of other countries have been put into operation.

Administrative procedures must be streamlined to ensure the fast rollout of domestic vaccines but scientific protocols cannot be bypassed, the prime minister required.

He asked the Ministry of Health to improve the operation of its working team for Covid-19 vaccines. The Ministry of Health should issue a circular on licensing local medicines and vaccines.

Besides vaccines, the prime minister required enhancing the technology transfer and production of Covid-19 antivirals and medical equipment, especially test kits.

He also called for stronger efforts from the relevant agencies to produce local Covid-19 vaccines.