Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Thursday expressed hope that the World Health Organisation (WHO) will soon give approval to Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.
Speaking to media in Bhubaneswar, Shringla said, "It is not the administrative or political process, rather it is a technical process of WHO. Technical Committee will evaluate the submissions made by Bharat Biotech which created Covaxin. I am sure the approval of Covaxin from WHO will come at the soonest possible."
Praising the nationwide vaccination drive of India, the Foreign Secretary said, "In a few days of time, we will reach the one billion mark. We have done it so quickly. I am sure people must be astonished that we have also administered 25 million people with vaccine doses in a single day, which is equivalent to the entire population of Australia."
Earlier on October 5, World Health Organisation (WHO) has extended giving the emergency use authorization for Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin to next week.
"WHO and an independent group of experts are scheduled to meet next week to carry out the risk/benefit assessment and come to a final decision whether to grant Emergency Use Listing to Covaxin," tweeted WHO.
Covaxin has been submitting data to WHO on a rolling basis and submitted additional information at WHO's request on September 27.
( With inputs from ANI )
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