Thailand’s Private Hospital Push US for Moderna Vaccine

Thailand’s Private Hospital Association has told a press briefing it has not set the start of COVID-19 vaccination with the Moderna vaccine because it is waiting for details on available amounts and the time of its import from the United States.

Dr Chalerm Harnphanich, chief executive officer of Bangkok Chain Hospital (BCH) and president of the association, said the association was waiting for the price of the Moderna and the import schedule by Zuellig Pharma that represented Moderna in Thailand.

He expected the Government Pharmaceutical Organization to conclude this week the price including logistics. It would be the cost that GPO would pay to the dealer of the Moderna vaccine. GPO would this week conclude the price of the Moderna vaccine that it would sell to private hospitals, Dr Chalerm said.

He also said that Zuellig Pharma would seek to meet the Secretary of State of the United States who would visit Thailand in a few days. It planned to discuss the procurement of the Moderna vaccine that remained available considerably in the US, for distribution in Thailand.

The Private Hospital Association was waiting for information on the amount of the Moderna vaccine and the time of the first lot of its import from Zuellig Pharma, Dr Chalerm said.

Meanwhile, the Thai government and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) are encouraging expats and foreign workers living in Thailand to register for the vaccine program scheduled for rollout this month, despite ongoing confusion and a lack of information being encountered by expats.

Presently vaccination will be carried out primarily using China’s Sinovac Vaccine and Oxfords AstraZeneca.

Last week, in a surprise move, the Chulabhorn Research Academy confirmed it was importing supplies of another Chinese vaccine, Sinopharm, to boost the government rollout. The Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine on May 28.

Sinopharm joins Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna as the fifth vaccine approved for emergency use. To date however, there has been no confirmation of when supplies of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the Moderna vaccine might be made available.

Source: TNA, The Thaiger