Confirms shipment of Moderna jabs over the weekend, with a further 26m vaccines from various companies expected in due course Efforts underway to expand vaccine manufacturing at various sites across Egypt CAIRO: Egypt’s acting minister of health, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, said in a statement that the total number of coronavirus disease vaccine doses supplied to the North African country has reached 72 million. Abdel Ghaffar, who is also Egypt’s minister of higher education and scientific research, explained that around 38 million doses have been administered so far, leaving around 34 million jabs available. He added that during the coming period, Egypt expects around 26 million more doses, including Sinovac, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, bringing the total to about 98 million doses. Egypt also expects to receive materials for the manufacture of the Sinovac vaccine in the country’s Vaccera factories in due course. The minister stated that work is underway to expand Egypt’s regional vaccination center capacity, with 1,079 centers currently operational, including 180 travel centers. He stressed that the coming period will witness an expansion in the provision of mobile outlets dedicated to vaccinating citizens in crowded places such as malls, train stations and metro stations. Abdel Ghaffar also announced that Egypt received its first shipment of Moderna jabs, coming in at a total of 784,280 doses, on Sunday morning at Cairo International Airport, meaning the country now has access to vaccines produced by all major, reputable international manufacturers. In a statement, he said that the shipment was provided by Canada through the COVAX initiative, in cooperation with GAVI, as part of the country’s plan to diversify and expand the provision of vaccines to citizens. Dr. Awad Taj El-Din, advisor to the president of Egypt for health and epidemiological affairs, confirmed on Sunday that Egypt spent around $400 million to secure its vaccines, and he expressed his thanks to all the parties working in support of Egypt. He pointed out that the country was finalizing deals with international institutions for the local manufacture of various vaccines at factories in Agouza and 6 October City, which would see it become one of Africa’s largest centers of vaccine manufacturing.