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Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine yet to receive NPRA nod, says Health DG [NSTTV]

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine which is set to arrive tomorrow has yet to be approved by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the Sinovac vaccine, secured via a cooperation between Pharmaniaga Bhd and Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Life Sciences Co Ltd, would involve a "fill and finish" process, in which the vials are filled and then packaged here for distribution.

"They (Pharmaniaga) will receive the vaccines tomorrow. We will need to look at the efficacy and the stability as well as other factors of the vaccines in our country.

"It has yet to get NPRA approval," he said during a virtual engagement session between the Health Ministry and the media this evening.

Malaysia is set to secure 14 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine.

Pharmaniaga chairman Datuk Dr Hafsah Hashim was previously quoted as saying that from the total, 12 million doses would be supplied to the Health Ministry while the remaining doses would be channeled to private hospitals.

The entire distribution exercise is expected to be completed by year-end.

The vaccines would be delivered via a special MASkargo flight and is expected to arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 9am tomorrow.

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