KUALA LUMPUR: The government is expected to finalise discussions to obtain supply of 32 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine this week.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the additional doses of the vaccine jointly developed by the American and German pharmaceutical giants will enable the government to inoculate 50 per cent of the country's population.
"After the negotiations between Health Minister (Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba) with the representatives from Pfizer have been finalised, the pharmaceutical giants will supply 32 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine which is equivalent to 50 per cent of the population in the country," Khairy, who is also the Coordinating Minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP), said.
He was speaking at the weekly press conference that was conducted virtually on the implementation of the NIP. Also present was Dr Adham.
Once the agreement has been finalised, Khairy said the delivery for the 32 million doses of the vaccine from Pfizer will enter the country.
He also said Pfizer has offered additional supplies of the Covid-19 vaccine that will enable the health authorities to vaccinate another 20 per cent of the country's population.
"This matter, however, is still in the negotiation process," he said.
Khairy also said the government will likely drop its intention to obtain the one-dose regiment Covid-19 vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson since the company could only supply some two million doses of the vaccine during the fourth quarter of the year.
"That is a bit too late," he said.
Instead, the government would expedite its negotiations to obtain the CanSino Covid-19 vaccine, which also requires only a single dose.
"We will expedite the negotiations since we want one-dose Covid-19 vaccines in our portfolio," he said.
The government through the Covid-19 Vaccine Supplies Access Guarantee Special Committee is also considering to obtain the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine developed by a pharmaceutical company based in the United States.
Based on clinical trials conducted in the United Kingdom, Khairy said the Novavax vaccine is 89.3 per cent effective.