Bahrains role key in Sinopharms approval

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MANAMA: Bahrain has contributed to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) evaluation and approval of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, through its membership of the global organisation’s strategic advisory group on immunisation

The kingdom is represented on the group by Primary Health Care Centre chief executive Dr Jalila Al Sayed, who is also a member of the National Taskforce to Combat Covid-19.

Following the evaluation process, the WHO’s committee of vaccination experts recommended the approval of Sinopharm for emergency use, making it the first Chinese vaccine to be green lighted by the WHO, recognising its safety and effectiveness.

Bahrain contributed to the evaluation process through data and information related to its participation in phase III clinical trials.

The WHO confirmed the recommendation for approval of its strategic advisory group of experts, and accordingly, the WHO recommended the vaccine on the basis of a recipient receiving two doses.

During the process, Dr Al Sayed reflected the experience and results of the vaccination trials produced by Sinopharm and Bahrain, which showed the vaccine’s effectiveness for those over the age of 18 to be at 90 per cent, and for those over 60 at 91pc.

Bahrain, one of the first countries to provide free vaccination to all citizens and residents, has vaccinated 70pc of those eligible with at least one dose.

This is the first time that a Chinese vaccine has been included in the WHO’s “emergency use list”.

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