Stepanov calls Ukraine's production of vaccines against COVID-19 'national security issue'

10:15, 05.04.2021 1 min read

Health Minister of Ukraine Maksym Stepanov has called the production of Ukraine's own vaccines against the COVID-19 coronavirus a "national security issue".

"Today, when there is a real war for vaccines in the world, when governments of countries impose bans on the export of contracted and paid vaccine batches, there is only one way out - to start producing our own," Stepanov wrote on his Facebook page.

According to him, for this it is necessary to amend the legislation and give priority to Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturers in state orders.

"They are ready to invest in this, but they need guarantees that the state will buy from them, because they will not be able to compete with large pharmaceutical manufacturers at a price," the minister stressed.

Stepanov suggested that the Ukrainian vaccine may be more expensive, "but I believe that we should do it. Because this is a matter of national security."