‘Health’ says in no hurry to ink vaccine procurement contract
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 3: The Ministry of Health confirmed yesterday that its endeavor to secure medical vaccines that international research institutions are working to produce in order to confront the emerging coronavirus (Covid 19) does not mean signing the procurement contract before the vaccine is approved by international health organizations to ensure its safety and effectiveness, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
The ministry in a press statement said a continuous follow-up is carried out by the relevant departments and committees affiliated with the ministry in order to determine the results of the current vaccine experiments in order to obtain them at the required time if their success and efficacy are proven and also to ensure the safety of their use.
The sources pointed out the ministry is in “continuous communication” with research institutions and international organizations, including the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Jaffe), which constitutes a global health partnership aimed at securing vaccines for all, explaining that “coordination with the (alliance) is a proactive step, especially as securing vaccines even in normal circumstances takes a lot from the time.”
Accredited medical labs:
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a circular specifying the accredited medical laboratories abroad for the mandatory PCR test of travelers coming to Kuwait, reports Al-Rai daily.
The list includes 1,596 laboratories in nine countries – 1,310 in India, 136 in Turkey, 45 in Egypt, 48 in Lebanon, 15 in Switzerland, 24 in Pakistan, eight in Azerbaijan, two in Jordan, and eight in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to the circular, the PCR test results of travelers from other countries must be issued by laboratories accredited by the health authorities in these countries.