Vietnam welcomes WHO’s initiative on Covid-19 vaccine technology transfer hub

	Philippines eyes to mix Sinovac with other Covid-19 vaccines brands
	Vietnam to produce Russian Sputnik V vaccine this year
	PM: Vietnam has registered over 100 mln Covid-19 vaccine doses

Vietnam will establish a technology transfer hub to help boost vaccine production capacity regionally and globally, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan told the 74th World Health Assembly.

He proposed that the Director-General of WHO accelerate the initiative and promote cooperation as well as support from technology developers to soon realize the scheme, VOV reported.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan speaks at the assembly. Photo courtesy of Ministry of Health

Thuan also reiterated Vietnam’s commitment to mobilize the political system, the entire society, as well as the technical system and resources to respond to the pandemic.

Vietnam is trying its best to control outbreaks while maintaining socio-economic stability and ensuring national health security, he stressed.

Noting that Covid-19 is not the last pandemic for humankind, Thuan said it’s time to discuss how to better prepare for the next pandemic.

Vietnam believes that a more cohesive global response mechanism is needed to get the entire government and society involved in the fight, while helping countries improve their preparedness and response capabilities, said the Vietnamese health official.

The 74th World Health Assembly is taking place in an online format from May 24 to June 1, attracting the participation of United Nations and world leaders, including UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine are pictured in a general practitioners practice in Berlin, Germany, April 10, 2021. Photo by Reuters/Fabrizio Bensch. Previously, on May 12, WHO said it was reviewing a proposal by one manufacturer in Vietnam to become an mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine technology hub. "A vaccine manufacturer in Vietnam has already expressed its interest to become an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine technology transfer hub," Kidong Park, the WHO representative in Vietnam, said in an emailed statement to Reuters. Park added that the organization expects Vietnam to also apply for "large scale manufacturing" of an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine. Park did not say which vaccine manufacturer had expressed interest in the plans. On May 11, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported that Vietnam is seeking the transfer of mRNA technology to domestically manufacture Covid-19 vaccines as officials warned of supply issues until the end of the year. Governments are looking to build up local vaccine production after manufacturing setbacks slowed rollouts in some countries.

Vietnam proposes UK transfer Covid-19 vaccine production technology Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son on May 19 held phone talks with British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Dominic ...

PM Pham Minh Chinh: Covid-19 vaccine deal with Pfizer/BioNTech an urgent task Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Monday has requested that relevant ministries move to find solutions to purchase the Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Pfizer/BioNTech of ...

1.7 million Covid-19 vaccines arrive in Vietnam The new batch, sourced via the global Covax facility, will be used in the country’s third coronavirus vaccine rollout.