Namibia suspends use of Russian COVID vax after South Africa flags HIV concerns

 Namibia will suspend the rollout of the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, days after neighboring South Africa’s drug regulator raised concerns about its safety for people at risk of contracting HIV, the Namibian Ministry of Health said on Saturday.

Regulator SAHPRA has decided not to approve the emergency use application of Sputnik V at this time because some studies have suggested that administering vaccines with a type 5 vector – which Sputnik V does – could lead to increased susceptibility to HIV infection in men.

South Africa and Namibia have high HIV prevalence rates.

Namibia’s Ministry of Health said in a statement that the decision to discontinue use of the Russian vaccine was “due to () an abundance of caution that men (who) received Sputnik V may be at higher risk of contracting HIV,” adding that it was taken from SAHPRA. decision in mind.

Jamalia Research Institute, which developed Sputnik V, said Namibia’s decision was not based on any scientific evidence or research.

“Sputnik remains in one of the safest and most effective vaccines against COVID-19 in use globally,” the institute told Reuters, adding that more than 250 clinical trials and 75 international publications have confirmed the safety of vaccines and drugs based on human adenovirus vectors.

Namibia said the suspension would be effective immediately and continue until Sputnik V receives the WHO’s Emergency Use List. But it will offer people who have received a first dose of Sputnik V a second time to complete their course of immunization.

Namibia has received 30,000 doses of Sputnik V as a donation from the Serbian government, but only 115 doses have been given as of October 20.

Namibia also uses COVID-19 vaccines developed by China’s Sinopharm, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, obtained through a combination of purchases and donations.

So far it has fully vaccinated only about 240,000 of its population of 2.5 million, reflecting the difficulties African countries are facing in securing enough vaccines amid a global rush to get the injections.

https://711web.com/namibia-suspends-use-of-russian-covid-vaccine-after-south-africa-expresses-hiv-concerns/