Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry announced that Pakistan is going to start the first phase of testing of COVID-19 vaccine that is clinical trials, as there is a race going to find an effective way to combat this deadly virus but Pakistan is in dire need of safety kits, masks and ventilators amid COVID-19
Talking to media, Fawad said that Pakistan is facilitating to the 66 global studies being conducted on coronavirus accepting three different methods having repurposed drugs, antibodies and vaccines.
This is Pakistan’s great step towards international efforts for stopping COVID-19 mortality and further said that the quality of testing kits would not be compromised anymore as they would be strictly supervised.
“The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has constituted strict rules and regulations for testing the quality of coronavirus kits in the country,” he added.
Fawad said that all major health researchers in the world were concentrating on this research and Pakistan was also involved in such efforts, he added.
Fawad said that Pakistan is in great need of safety kits, masks and ventilators amid COVID-19 outbreak. “We have enhanced our health system’s capabilities against this pandemic and now we will start producing ventilators on our own,” he said.
DRAP has completed legal proceedings in this regard and the patenting process will start within a week before manufacturing.
The minister said that people should follow precautionary measures and stay at home unless it is necessary to go out in order to remain safe.
“It is a matter of happiness that Pakistan’s young engineers and scientists are standing with us in this difficult time,” he said.
The minister added that a team led by Dr. Attaur Rahman was also on board with the World Health Organization (WHO) for the preparation of an anti-coronavirus vaccine.
“Pakistani researchers are working under government-approved projects. They can develop a vaccine but the process will take little time,” he added.
He said that he appreciates Dr. Rahman for leading these clinical trials for the vaccine. “As with all drugs and medical devices, the government will assess and monitor the safety and effectiveness of all products,” he added.