The Government of Panama approved this Wednesday in the Cabinet Council, Cabinet Resolution 93-20, which authorizes the Ministry of Health (Minsa), to proceed with the purchase of one million 92 thousand doses of the vaccine to prevent covid-19, from the British pharmaceutical AstraZeneca UK Limited, in association with Oxford University, for an amount of 4 million 368 thousand dollars.

AstraZeneca has this vaccine in phase III, which implies that the trials have been applied in thousands of volunteers and is ready to present its protocols to international organizations, which must certify it as a safe and effective vaccine, to ensure the entire population . 

In the extraordinary session, the council of ministers also approved the payment of 20% of the total cost of the vaccine to AstraZeneca, that is, $ 873,600 before November 30 to finalize the sale.

Cabinet Resolution 93-20 is given despite the fact that the British pharmaceutical company has not yet announced the percentage of effectiveness of its vaccine as the American Moderna and Pfizer have done, with percentages of effectiveness of 90 and 95%, respectively. 

Astra Zeneca faced some setbacks during the analysis phase, after a volunteer for this study in Brazil passed away. The University of Oxford stated at the time that the investigation after the death of this Brazilian volunteer found no safety problems in his vaccine, so they subsequently continued with the trial.   

The British company has already reached agreements for Argentina and Mexico to produce its vaccine, once it is tested.   

In Mexico, three pre-purchase agreements for the covid-19 vaccine have already been signed with AstraZeneca, CanSino Biotech and Pfizer with the “objective of being among the first to have the vaccine.”

The State Communication Directorate reported that the negotiation with Panama took place after the intervention of the interdisciplinary team appointed by the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen.