EU, Belgium assure to fulfil vaccine supply agreements

KUALA LUMPUR: The European Union (EU) and Belgium have given assurances to fulfil their vaccine supply agreements with Malaysia, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar.

Khairy, in a statement yesterday, said with the assurances of both the EU and Belgian Ambassadors, Malaysia’s Covid-19 immunisation plan is expected to proceed according to plan.

He said the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) took note of the recent announcement on export controls by the EU of the Covid19 vaccines manufactured in the EU.

“Today I held discussions with EU Ambassador to Malaysia Michalis Rokas and the Belgian Ambassador to Malaysia, Pascal H. Gregoire, for further clarification regarding the status of these vaccine deliveries to Malaysia.

“With regards to the Pfizer vaccine that is manufactured in Puurs, Belgium, the Belgian Ambassador has given his assurances that our Advance Purchase Agreement with Pfizer will be fulfilled upon Pfizer applying for export authorisation and the vaccines will be delivered on schedule beginning this month.

“The government of Malaysia has therefore asked that Pfizer request approval for immediate export approval from the government of Belgium,” he said, adding that the EU and Belgian Embassies in Malaysia will be releasing statements regarding these supply assurances.

The minister further said the first shipment of one million doses (coverage for 500,000) of the Pfizer vaccine will be used in Phase One of inoculation for frontliners and will be delivered in stages over the first quarter of this year.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was reported as saying yesterday that Malaysia was expected to receive the first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine on Feb 26.