GPO inks deal for 5 million doses of Moderna vaccine
The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) on Friday signed a contract with Zuellig Pharma Thailand Ltd to purchase 5 million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.
GPO director-general Dr Witoon Danwiboon and the company’s representatives signed the contract, witnessed by Dr Chalerm Hanpanich, president of Private Hospitals Association.
Zuellig Pharma will import the first lot of vaccines in the fourth quarter of 2021 and all 5 million doses are expected to arrive before the end of the first quarter of 2022.
Witoon added that the Thai Red Cross Society and all hospitals who wish to use Moderna vaccine have paid the full amount for the doses that they will be allotted. “We have paid in full to make sure that the vaccine will definitely arrive on time,” he added.
“We hope that the Moderna vaccine will be an alternative for Thai people who wish to protect themselves against Covid-19 and prevent the virus from spreading, contributing to the goal of overcoming this crisis together.”
Moderna is among the top alternative Covid-19 vaccine choices in Thailand. Private hospitals opened reservation for the jab since earlier this month. Phyathai 2 Hospital in Bangkok, for example, is selling the vaccine at THB1,650 per dose. The hospital said that they were sold out in less than a minute after reservation opened on July 8 at noon.