India to approve COVID-19 shots green-lit by WHO, others
April 13, 2021, 9:30 am

India to approve COVID-19 shots green-lit by WHO, others

Shoppers gather at a market area in New Delhi on December 19, 2020, as India surged past 10 million coronavirus cases. (AFP)

India said Tuesday that it will approve the use of all coronavirus vaccines that have been given an emergency nod by the World Health Organization or regulators in the US, Europe, Britain or Japan.

India’s Health Ministry said the decision was aimed at hastening the use of shots made in other countries and expanding the “basket of vaccines” available for domestic use. The country of almost 1.4 billion people is seeing a crippling surge of infections that is threatening to overwhelm hospitals in hard-hit cities.

The only way out of the crisis, experts say, is to vaccinate more people.

But this has global implications since India is a major vaccine producer and India’s domestic needs have delayed the delivery of shots to the UN-backed COVAX initiative that is aimed at distributing vaccines equitably.

India had earlier given the nod to the AstraZeneca vaccine made by Serum Institute of India and another one made by the Indian company Bharat Biotech.

Now, vaccines that have received emergency use authorization by regulators in the US, Europe, Britain, Japan or the World Health Organization can be used in India. The Health Ministry also said Tuesday that the Russian Sputnik V vaccine had been green-lit for emergency use.

Devotees are seen on the banks of the Ganges river during Kumbh Mela, or the Pitcher Festival, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Haridwar, India, April 12, 2021. (Reuters)

The Health Ministry said that safety will be monitored in the first 100 people who receive these shots, before its use is expanded to include others.

Dr. Shahid Jameel, who studies viruses at India’s Ashoka University, said that while the move was unlikely to help the country deal with the surge it was currently experiencing, it would help in vaccine availability going forward, consequently freeing up vaccines that could then be exported.

He said that this would pave the path for India to use vaccines made by companies with a manufacturing partner in India. For instance, vaccine maker Biological E Ltd is contracted to make the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine.

Jameel added that this would potentially open up the market for vaccines that require ultra-cold storage facilities to be sold in cities where such facilities are available. Vaccine prices in India are currently capped at 250 rupees or $3.30. This will also free up the government to subsidize the vaccines for the poor, while those can afford to buy more expensive vaccines can do so.

Russia has agreements with five Indian pharmaceutical companies to make more than 850 million doses of Sputnik V vaccines in India for the world. It has also inked a deal with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to conduct late trials and distribute up to 250 million doses in India.But with four of Russia’s five deals inked in March and April, the doses are likely to be supplied later in the year. Moreover, Russia’s first manufacturing deal with India was with Hetero Biopharma for a 100 million doses — but it is unclear as to whether it has started making doses. Hetero Biopharma didn’t respond to queries by The Associated Press.

source: The Associated Press

Image source: AFP

Levant

UAE reports 2,022 new COVID-19 infections, four deaths Online purchases in Saudi Arabia expected to surge during Ramadan: Survey

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”