There is no legal obstacle for reception of the COVID-19 vaccines in the country. The first doses of the vaccine from Pfizer and the 8,000 doses from Serbia are set to enter the country through emergency import. Changes to the law on medicines are made because of the Pfizer policy according to which their office seated in Amsterdam is the applicant for the vaccine registration, said Health Minister Venko Filipche on Thursday.
Minister Filipche said Serbia is the only country in the region with a Pfizer office and this has helped them speed up the procedure.
“Pfizer has agreed that the initial quantities and the ones provided by Serbia come through a so-called emergency import, which does not require registration,” said Filipche.
According to him, Pfizer has agreed that the registration is made for the subsequent quantities, thus preventing a delay in the delivery of the initial batch.
On the vaccines set to arrive through the COVAX Facility, the Health Minister said he would meet with their representatives on January 29, expecting to be briefed when and how many vaccines would arrive in North Macedonia.
“The health system and all other institutions are prepared for the vaccination process. This morning I met with the director of the agency for medicines MALMED, who told me they are completely ready to issue the required forms and carry out all administrative procedures. The Customs Administration is also prepared to complete all procedures in the shortest possible period. The coolers are here and they can hold large quantities of the jabs. Therefore, we have set up a plan for when the vaccines arrive,” noted Filipche.
