Vietnam has proposed the UK transfer technology in Covid-19 vaccine production in a phone talk between the two foreign ministers on May 19.

Vietnam’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son at the phone talk with British counterpart Dominic Raab on May 19. Photo: MOFA

Hanoi also suggested favorable vaccine supply during the talks between Vietnam’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and First Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Currently, Vietnam is using AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca.

The majority of 2.6 million doses delivered to Vietnam are via the WHO-led global vaccine sharing COVAX Facility.

On May 12, WHO Representative in Vietnam Dr. Kidong Park said the organization was reviewing a proposal by a Vietnamese vaccine manufacturer to become an mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine technology hub in Vietnam.

He said if Vietnam will host an mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine technology transfer hub, it will contribute to mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine production in Vietnam as well as in the region, Reuters reported.

Earlier in May, Deputy Health Minister Tran Van Thuan said some countries, including Japan, confirmed that they will transfer technology in Covid-19 vaccine production to Vietnam.

AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca. Photo: AFP

The developed nations like the US and UK are ahead of developing states like India in the research and development of vaccines.

International economists have believed that original vaccine developers need to set up factories, exchange technology know-how, and reduce the price of their vaccines in order to help developing countries tackle the shortage of vaccines.

Regarding the inoculation, almost 37 million people in the UK have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, BBC reported. The government plans to vaccinate the rest of the adult population, another 21 million people, by the end of July.

In Vietnam, the country of nearly 100 million people, more than one million doses have been administered to local residents.