The World Health Organization has declared Egypt free of measles and rubella. The Regional Verification Commission (RVC) of the World Health Organization has determined that Egypt will be measles- and rubella-free from 2018 through 2021.
The announcement was made during the fourth meeting of the RVC, which took place on November 1-3. The commission also suggested that Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population maintain the successful performance of the National Immunization Program (NIP).
The World Health Organization has declared Egypt free of measles and rubella.
The commission also advocated for increased vaccination of people from the most affected countries and mandatory vaccination of ex-pat children.
In Giza's Sixth of October City, an automated vaccine storage facility with 100 to 150 million doses annually was dedicated in September by Egypt's Minister of Health, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar.
According to the Ministry of Health, Sinovac and the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) jointly developed the complex, which was constructed on 3,180 square meters.
"The Chinese company is contributing to increasing vaccine storage capacity in Egypt so that the company (VACSERA) can become a regional center for vaccine manufacturing and storage on the African continent," Abdel Ghaffar explained.
According to Abdel Ghaffar, the government has mapped out a comprehensive plan for developing VACSERA as part of Egypt's strategy to make itself a regional hub for vaccine manufacturing and to meet the African continent's vaccine needs.
