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Sri Lankan and Russian health officials have held online discussions on the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, to assess technology used during its development, safety and efficiency, a statement from the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Moscow facilitated an online meeting between the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka, the health ministry of Russia, and the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of Russia.
With final trials ongoing over the research and registration of COVID-19 vaccines around the world, the Sri Lankan and Russian specialists in virology, as well as top administrators, met to discuss the Sputnik V vaccine, which was developed by the Russian Gamaleya Research Institute.
The parties discussed the technology used in the production of the vaccine, its safety and efficiency, the results of clinical trials and the status of approvals.
The Sri Lankan side apprised the Russian specialists of the research done on the virus modifications in Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka’s immunisation program.
The Russian side, in its turn, assured that it is ready to share all the necessary scientific data with Sri Lanka and to hold a series of further discussions to ensure the Sri Lankan party possesses the full spectrum of information.
Both parties underlined the importance of international scientific collaboration in face of the pandemic and agreed to expand relations between the health-related institutions of the two countries.
The meeting was chaired by Sri Lanka Ambassador Prof. M. D. Lamawansa, who was joined by other staff members of the Embassy. The Sri Lankan side was represented by the Ministry of Health Secretary Dr. S.H. Munasinghe, Additional Secretary - Medical Services Dr. Sunil De Alvis, Additional Secretary Dr. L. Somathunga, epidemiologists, microbiologists, vaccinologists, virologists, immunologists, and other experts.
From the Ministry of Health of Russia, the following representatives took part in the meeting: International Cooperation and Public Relations Department Director Sergey Muravyov, Advisor to the Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Sergey Glagolev, and others. The Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology was represented by Director of the institute Academician Alexander Gintsburg, scientific associate Darya Yegorova, and others.
