UAE surpasses 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses
April 23, 2021, 9:24 am

UAE surpasses 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses

UAE's Minister of Health and Prevention Abdul Rahman al-Owais takes the first COVID-19 vaccine dose. (WAM)

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have confirmed that they have administered more than ten million COVID-19 doses since beginning a coronavirus vaccination drive, according to state news agency WAM.

The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention said that the milestone was a significant step in the country’s goal to achieve herd immunity. It said the number of doses administered also highlighted confidence among residents and citizens of the UAE in COVID-19 vaccines.

“This achievement is the outcome of the vision and directives of the country’s leadership and the significant efforts of the health sector and all front-line defenders to protect the community’s health and safety,” the Minister of Health and Prevention, Dr Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser al-Owais, said.

The country has so far approved the Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Sinopharm vaccines.

Laboratory workers bag a biological sample at a drive-through COVID-19 coronavirus testing centre in al-Khawaneej district of the gulf emirate of Dubai, UAE. (File photo: AFP)

Earlier this year authorities announced that a new factory in Abu Dhabi will start manufacturing a COVID-19 vaccine from Chinese pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm later this year under a joint venture between Sinopharm and Abu Dhabi-based technology company Group 42 (G42).

The plant, which is being built in the Khalifa Industrial Zone of Abu Dhabi (KIZAD), will have a production capacity of 200 million doses a year

“The four types of vaccines are being distributed for free to all segments of the community and in all areas of the country, and they are safe and highly efficient,” added the minister.

Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, chairman of the National COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Management and Governance Committee, said the cooperation and support of UAE residents and citizens had helped the country real the milestone.

On Thursday, the UAE’s national Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) announced it has recorded 2,081 new COVID-19 cases and four deaths in the previous 24 hours.

On Wednesday, the government announced that over 65 percent of those eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the UAE have been fully immunized.

source: Jennifer Bell

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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.”