August 12, 2021 | 11:35 (GMT+7)
HCM City to negotiate purchase of 5 million Moderna vaccine doses
The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has assigned State-owned Saigon Pharmaceutical Group (Sapharco) to negotiate and sign contracts to purchase five million doses of Moderna vaccine MRNA-1273.
In an official response to the Ministry of Health on August 11, the municipal People’s Committee gave thanks for the assistance of the Government, the ministry, local businesses, and local authorities in efforts to bring vaccines to people across the country.
The committee gave permission to Sapharco and VinaCapital to conduct the vaccine negotiation with Zuellig Pharma Co., Ltd., which represents the Moderna vaccine producer.
Sapharco signed a basic terms document and is waiting for Moderna to hand over the draft contract and provisions on contract content confidentiality to Zuellig Pharma, Vinacapital and Sapraco to conduct an official negotiation.
If the contract is signed, 5 million doses of Moderna vaccine will be transferred to Vietnam in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of next year.
Vinacapital and Sapraco are continuing their negotiations to request Moderna and Zuellig Pharma to provide at least two million doses in October and at least 10 million additionally early in the second quarter of 2022.
The HCM City People’s Committee proposed that the Ministry of Health allow VinaCapital to implement public-private partnership contracts.
The committee also proposed the ministry issue detailed instructions on vaccinating people and paying for fees, as well as regulations on vaccination service prices.
The committee proposed the ministry review the Moderna vaccine demand of various localities to increase ordered doses and speed up vaccine transfer and price reduction.
Source: VNA