Homegrown Covid Vaccine Purchases Rise to 50m Doses

The Health Ministry has bought 50 million shots of coronavirus vaccines from local manufacturers since the immunization campaign kicked off last year. 
“Iranian vaccine producers have delivered 40 million doses of the purchased vaccines to the Health Ministry,” Hossein Safavi, head of Heyat Omana Arzi (HOA), a committee in charge of saving foreign currency in patient treatment, was quoted as saying by IRNA. 
He stated, “Our scientists have shown that they can handle the country’s future need for Covid-19 vaccines.”
Six different vaccine brands have been bought by the Health Ministry from local manufacturers, including COVIran Barekat, Razi Cov Pars, SpikoGen and PastuCovac. 
Majority of Iranians have been immunized against the highly contagious coronavirus with the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine. Over 22 million people have refused to get the third booster shot. 
Pointing to the country’s requirement for booster shots in coming months, Safavi said, “The Health Ministry will buy 35 million jabs over the next year.”
The government is funding the purchases to make vaccines available to its population of 85 million people for free. 
The Health Ministry has paid half the price to manufacturers and will complete payment as soon as funds are allocated.