AstraZeneca scours supply chain for more vaccine doses for Southeast Asia
Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca on July 24 said it is "scouring" its global supply chain to try and boost COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Thailand and Southeast Asia, Reuters reported.
Hanoi (VNA) – Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca onJuly 24 said it is "scouring" its global supply chain to try andboost COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Thailand and Southeast Asia, Reuters reported.
The statement came after leaked letters showed last weekthat the drugmaker had offered to supply 5-6 million vaccine doses a month toThailand, contradicting assertions by Thai officials that the government isowed 10 million a month and 61 million doses by end-2021.
AstraZeneca is scouring over 20 supply chains in itsworldwide manufacturing network to find additional vaccines for Southeast Asia,including Thailand, said James Teague, managing director of AstraZenecaThailand.
"We are hopeful of importing additional doses in themonths ahead," he added.
Teague said AstraZeneca has delivered 9 million does so farto Thailand and will deliver 2.3 million more next week.
Thailand has fully inoculated just 5.56 percent of itspopulation of more than 66 million so far, while 18.62 percent have received atleast one dose, government data shows.
The drugmaker had previously said vaccine doses for Thailandand Southeast Asia would come from a plant of its Thai partner Siam Bioscience,owned by Thailand's king.
Siam Bioscience has not commented on reports of productionshortfalls or delivery timelines.
Pressure has been mounting on the company after Thailandsaid it was considering imposing limits on exports of locally manufacturedAstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to shore up domestic supplies, a move that couldhit its neighbours, some of which are battling similar or more severe COVID-19crises./.
Australia will share 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses with Vietnam by the end of 2021, announced Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Minister for International Development and the Pacific Zed Seselja on July 14.
Vietnam is expected to receive 3 million doses of Moderna vaccine donated by the US government through COVAX facility this week, said Prof. Dr. Dang Duc Anh, Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology on July 19.
Vietnam receives additional 3,000,060 doses of COVID-19 Moderna vaccine donated through the COVAX Facility by the United States Government, of which, 1,499,960 arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on July 24 and 1,500,100 doses will arrive in Hanoi the next day.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
The Thai cabinet has approved a seven-year EV bus leasing scheme proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) for the capital, with an estimated cost of 15.35 billion THB (over 470 million USD).
Aircraft are prohibited from flying below 6,000 metres in the vicinity of the volcano, and should also remain alert to the presence of volcanic ash, which can disrupt flights.
Laos declared the transfer of the press management functions of five key media agencies and associated personnel to the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee.
Univers said in a statement that the new centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together digital intelligence and climate ambition to accelerate Sarawak's transition toward a low-carbon, tech-enabled economy.
The target is to be completely free from plastic waste within two years. This can only be achieved if all parties implement the initiative with strong discipline.
Indonesia is taking new steps to improve protections for fishery workers, amid concerns over low wages, harsh working conditions, and limited access to social welfare.
The 2025 ASEAN- the Republic of Korea (RoK) Connectivity Forum that opened in Jakarta on June 17 reaffirmed a shared commitment to shaping a connected, resilient future by advancing the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan.
The desk will serve as a service centre providing market intelligence, business licensing guidance, facilitating business cooperation, identifying potential investment projects, and harmonising regulatory policies between the two parties.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted that the Asia-Pacific region accounted for half of global energy consumption and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024. Despite this, regional countries, including eight of ten ASEAN member states, remain committed to climate goals, including net-zero emissions and tripling global renewable capacity by 2030.
COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
