Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Deputy Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman's assertion this morning, and ordered the purchase of vaccine against swine flu. Netanyahu, who is also the minister of health, wants enough vaccine ordered for the entire population. He also gave orders to increase the state's supply of influenza medicines by an additional 5%.
The additional flu vaccines and medicines will cost NIS 450 million.
Netanyahu instructed Prime Minister's Office director general Eyal Gabai to coordinate with Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz and Litzman on finding sources of financing and to submit a proposal to an upcoming cabinet meeting.
This morning, Litzman was still insisting that there was no need to purchase the vaccine, despite opinions by Ministry of Health officials. He told “IDF Radio" (Galei Zahal), "There is no vaccine in Israel at this time. We were ready to invest a lot of money, but there's simply no need. Besides, winter will pass by the time a vaccine is ready."
Litzman added that even if the government decided to buy H1N1 vaccines, the inventory would run out because Western governments had already ordered it.
Netanyahu said: "This decision places Israel in line with the leading countries of the world on the issue of future supplies of influenza vaccines. On this context, it is important to emphasize that H1N1 vaccines are still undergoing development and are not yet 'on the shelf'. The vaccines will be delivered to various countries, including Israel, only after the conclusion of development, in a few months."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 29, 2009
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