The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is all set to provide the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine to everyone residing in Qatar who requires it, free of charge, when it becomes available, Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Head of the National Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of The Infectious Diseases Department at Hamad Medical Corporation told Qatar Television earlier tonight, according to Al Sharq.
He added that Qatar was currently seeking to procure a sufficient quantity of COVID-19 vaccinations over a period of weeks and month because this is important for individual, public and community health.
Dr. Al-Khal also mentioned that the MoPH was making great efforts to try to obtain the vaccine as soon as it is available and to take precedence through contracts with producing companies.
He added:
"So far there are very good indicators. One of these companies with which the MopH has concluded an agreement, Pfizer, it is very possible that its vaccine can be adopted at the end of October or in November by the official authorities that adopt medicines and vaccines."
Dr. AbdulLatif Al-Khal explained that if the vaccine was adopted based on the results of clinical trials now being conducted on 44,000 people in a number of countries in the world and if it proves to be effective and safe, then it will be approved and exported to several countries, including Qatar. Qatar hopes to start getting the first amounts of the vaccine by the end of the year or the beginning of next year.
The Head of the HMC Infectious Diseases Department said that the ministry had reached out to pharmaceutical companies known for their outstanding products in the initial trials and that their medicines are safe and effective and so far the discussion is continuing with a number of companies and other agreements will be concluded.
Dr. Khal said Pfizer would produce 100 million doses of the vaccines initially which will be shipped to many countries. It will produce one billion doses in 2021. Qatar is hoping to buy the vaccines as soon as possible and in the largest quantity possible.
MoPH having advanced discussions with pharmaceutical companies, entities to procure COVID-19 vaccine
Follow us on our social media channels:
@ILQlive
@ILQlive
@ILoveQtr
ILoveQatar
You have successfully registered your account!
Please confirm your e-mail address by clicking on the URL sent to you.The e-mail usually arrives in 5-10 minutes.
How ajeeb was that!? Thanks for contributing to our community! Your post will appear after we take a quick look!
