The current coronavirus pandemic has shown the importance of vaccination and has drawn attention to the importance of domestic production, Miklós Kásler told a press conference after the ceremony.

The pandemic forced China to temporarily suspend the export of drug substances and medical equipment which put other countries into a difficult situation, he said. Debrecen University has been preparing for vaccine production for years and has started to build the infrastructure for that, the minister said.

Hungary has a world-class vaccination protocol and a vaccination rate of 98%, Kásler said, noting that the government spends an annual 10 billion forints (EUR 28.6m) on vaccinations.

Cecília Müller, the chief medical officer, told the same press conference that vaccination plays a key role in primary prevention. She called it important for Hungary to become independent from foreign markets by ensuring continuous supply of domestically produced vaccines.

MTI Photo: Péter Komka