Russia, represented by the Association of Importers and Exporters of Medicines and Medical Equipment, submitted its proposals to the Syrian government’s Ministry of Health to establish a project to localize the industry for the production of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine in Syria. The two types of vaccines manufactured will be Sputnik V and Sputnik Light.
“According to a source in the Ministry of Health, the project’s production capacity amounts to 5 million doses per year. This means that the Syrian citizen’s need for the vaccine will be free of charge and without costs. The opportunity of exporting this vaccine abroad is possible after organizing an agreement between the Association of Importers and Exporters of Russian Medical Materials and the Ministry of Health in Syria
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Tamico, the General Company for Pharmaceutical Industries is the entity concerned with the pharmaceutical industry in Syria. It explained that this project is one of the important projects put forward for development by the company for a long time within the development and expansion projects in the company. This is based on discussions with the Ministry of Health for the approval of the vaccine and the priorities of pharmaceutical manufacturing, within the import substitution program. Most importantly, the manufacture of this vaccine requires it to be produced in the form of liquid vials prepared for intermuscular injection. This process requires the existence of a production line specific to that pharmaceutical form, which is not currently available in the company. The right to knowledge and the experience of manufacturing this vaccine are also in question. Therefore, the process of localizing the vaccine industry calls for a new supply line for production.
The most crucial issue, according to the source, is that this project is a primary step towards the localization of the vaccine industry in general, with assistance in transferring expertise and knowledge that begin with the COVID-19 vaccine as a basis for long-term investment in the pharmaceutical industry.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
