SINGAPORE, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Singapore is building up its vaccine manufacturing capacity amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a transcript of his remarks released on Friday for the virtual global vaccine summit.
Speaking to the Global Vaccine Council in a video message, Lee said the COVID-19 pandemic demands a "unified and concerted response" by all nations.
One key area of cooperation is developing and producing a vaccine against COVID-19 and Singapore is doing its part as well, he said.
Singapore is building up its vaccine manufacturing capacity, and it hopes to offer to fill and finish contract manufacturing services to vaccine developers, said Lee.
"This should help them ramp up production faster, and assure them high standards of safety and quality in the manufacturing process," he added.
On top of that, Singapore has contributed about 13 million U.S. dollars towards international efforts to combat COVID-19, through the World Health Organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations or CEPI, and donations of essential medical equipment and supplies.
In addition, Singapore is also investing heavily in research and development on diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics.
Its researchers have developed a range of serological and nucleic acid-based diagnostic tests, which have been deployed to over 20 countries, said Lee. They are also developing therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, as well as a vaccine, and have started clinical trials of various therapeutics.
"Discovering, producing and distributing a safe and effective vaccine is vital to getting life back to normal despite COVID-19," said Lee.
"I hope that this summit will help focus our minds and resources, and forge partnerships to promote vaccine multilateralism," he said.
The Global Vaccine Summit was held on Thursday and co-hosted by the British government and Gavi, or the Vaccine Alliance, the public-private global health partnership.
On his Facebook page, Lee wrote on Friday that COVID-19 has "been a forceful reminder of the necessity for countries to mount a united response to common threats like the pandemic and climate change."
"We are all in the same fight together and Singapore will do our part in this global call for action," he said. Enditem
