Health Min Mansukh Mandaviya meets WHO's chief scientist, discusses approval for Covaxin

As the country continues to battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, Union Health Minister Mansukh Madaviya on Thursday met Dr Soumya Swaminathan, who is the chief scientist at the World Health Organisation (WHO). Giving out details of his meeting with the chief scientist, Mansukh Mandaviya said that both of them had a productive discussion on the WHO's approval for Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. 

Mansukh Mandaviya meets WHO's Chief Scientist

Taking to his official Twitter handle, the Union Health Minister said that Dr Soumya Swaminathan appreciated India's efforts for the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This comes after a top official at the WHO had estimated that a decision on the COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin's inclusion in the Emergency Use List would be taken next month. On July 9, Bharat Biotech had submitted the data required for the World Health Organisation's approval for its COVID-19 vaccine. 

WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines, Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals, Dr Mariangela Simao, while speaking to the media said that the UN health agency's assessment of Covaxin was at an advanced state. Speaking further, she said that a decision on Covaxin's approval can be expected by mid-September. 

Covaxin demonstrates high efficacy

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is a 'whole virion inactivated vaccine' in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). In its third phase of clinical trials, Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine has shown over 77.8 per cent efficacy and 93.4 per cent efficacy against severe COVID-19 disease as per the final results. 

As far as the protection against asymptomatic COVID-19 disease is concerned, Covaxin's efficacy is 63.3 per cent. Not only this, the Indigenous Coronavirus vaccine has also proven effective to neutralise variants such as  B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.617 (Kappa), B.1.351 (Beta) and B.1.617.2 (Delta)

Under the aegis of the ‘Mission COVID Suraksha- the Indian COVID-19 Vaccine Development Mission’, the Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Ltd, Mumbai; Indian Immunologicals Limited in Hyderabad and Ankleshwar and Bharat Immunologicals Biologicals Limited in Bulandshahr have also been permitted to produce Covaxin. 

(Image: Twitter- @mansukhmandviya, PTI)