By Faith Nyasuguta
Algeria has launched the production of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Chinese firm Sinovac, with production estimated at eight million doses every month.
In attendance during the commissioning of the production process at a factory in the eastern city of Constantine, Algerian prime minister Aimene Benabderrahmane, dubbed the launch a “big achievement”.
Officials further indicated that production could be doubled in the North African nation if required.
Praising the nation’s pharmaceutical industry, Benabderrahmane said that “Algeria aims to achieve other projects of this kind.”
Separately. Algerian minister for the pharmaceutical industry, Lotfi Djamel Benbahmed said the country plans to export the vaccines.
Saidal, the company making the jabs is so far the only African firm licensed to produce the jab.
Despite a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in the past few months, Algeria has seen a drop in recent weeks.
Algeria is the biggest African nation by size and starting September, it announced a campaign to vaccinate about 70 percent of its 44 million population by the end of 2021.
