Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Turkey
  • Istanbul
  • Education
  • Investigations
  • Minorities
  • Expat Corner
  • Diaspora

Turkey will not buy Russian vaccine, health minister tells website

by Daily Sabah with Reuters

ISTANBUL Dec 09, 2020 - 4:54 pm GMT+3
A medical worker fills a syringe with the Sputnik-V vaccine in Moscow, Russia, Dec. 5, 2020. (Reuters Photo)
A medical worker fills a syringe with the Sputnik-V vaccine in Moscow, Russia, Dec. 5, 2020. (Reuters Photo)
by Daily Sabah with Reuters Dec 09, 2020 4:54 pm
RECOMMENDED
No Image

Want to help earthquake victims in Türkiye? Here's how 

earthquake-in-türkiye

Turkey has ruled out buying the Russian coronavirus vaccine since its development lacked "good practice," its health minister said in remarks published on Wednesday, as Ankara steps up efforts to inoculate 50 million citizens by spring. The Habertürk news website quoted Health Minister Fahrettin Koca as saying the Russian vaccine did not meet "good laboratory practice" conditions.

"Russia was not able to fulfill this. Therefore, it was not possible for the World Health Organization (WHO) and the world to purchase this vaccine. It is not possible for this vaccine to receive a license from us either. Therefore, it is out of our area of interest," he said. Koca did not specify which Russian vaccine he was referring to, but Turkey has talked about conducting Phase 3 trials for Sputnik-V, the world's first registered coronavirus vaccine. There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the Russia Direct Investment Fund, which backs Sputnik-V. Russia was the first country to grant regulatory approval for a coronavirus vaccine, doing so before large-scale trials were complete, stirring concern among scientists and doctors about the safety and efficacy of the shot.

Turkey, with a population of 83 million, has signed a contract to buy 50 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and expects to begin vaccinations this month, prioritizing health workers first.

Koca said Turkey needs more vaccines with the aim of inoculating 50 million people by the end of April, adding that it was working to bring forward the delivery of 25 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech. "They will be able to give us 25 million doses by the end of 2021. We are trying to pull this forward. We want it before the summer. There is a fire going on. We need to extinguish it as soon as possible," he told Habertürk.

Koca also said Turkey would not pay for the Sinovac vaccine if it "did not like it." "We put this in the contract when we gave our order ... If our results are not effective enough, we have the right to return the vaccines and not pay even 5 cents," he said.

Ankara has imposed full weekend lockdowns and weekday curfews to combat the sharp rise in deaths and infections. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said citizens should be patient until the vaccines arrive.

RECOMMENDED
No Image

Want to help earthquake victims in Türkiye? Here's how 

earthquake-in-türkiye
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    covid-19 outbreak fahrettin koca vaccine russia sputnik v sinovac china who
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A view of the rubble of a building hit by the earthquake in Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş, Feb. 6, 2023. (AA Photo)

    Death toll rises to 3,549 after magnitude 7.7 quake rocks SE Türkiye

    EARTHQUAKE
    The collapsed part of Gaziantep Castle, Feb. 6, 2023. (DHA Photo)

    Gaziantep Castle collapses after magnitude 7.7 quake hit Türkiye

    EARTHQUAKE

    Deadly quake damages Türkiye's energy infrastructure, major port

    earthquake

    Earthquakes in Türkiye moved Anatolia up to 10 meters: Seismologist

    türkiye
    Pamukkale, Turkey
    20 places that look out of this world
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021