Stepanov explains why Ukraine is losing vaccine manufacturers’s trust and comments on NABU case

NABU's investigation into possible abuse in purchasing COVID-19 vaccines will negatively affect negotiations with manufacturers.

Health Minister Maksym Stepanov stated this at a briefing.

"What these attacks lead to is that the consequences will affect every Ukrainian. Ukraine is already losing the trust of vaccine manufacturers. Such situations are destroying the reputation of our country. We already have tough negotiations to get additional doses of vaccines. Given the dirty information attacks, manufacturers have expressed reluctance to continue cooperation," he said.

Minister added that such actions were an attempt to disrupt the vaccination campaign in Ukraine.

"it's an attempt to disrupt the vaccine campaign. And this opens the way for one vaccine, which we're so persistently offered. My position is to prevent the Russian vaccine from entering the Ukrainian market," Stepanov said.

Minister considers the NABU case to be one of the information war tools against the ministry's team.

At the same time, he stressed he would provide NABU with all the necessary documents within a day.

"Last week, everyone heard about NABU opening case on the purchase of vaccines. This morning, the Ministry of Health received a request from NABU to provide information on all negotiations with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers. I immediately instructed the ministry to prepare all necessary documents. To prepare them, we need 3 days, but I think that within a day, we will hand over all these documents to NABU," he said.

On February 10, it became known that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau was investigating the purchase of coronavirus vaccines. It's about a possible abuse when purchasing a Chinese vaccine from Sinovac Biotech for $17.85 per dose with the help of a private intermediary.