Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has authorised the use of Covishield vaccine in the Maldives.
Covishield vaccine is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, based on the research of Oxford University and AstraZeneca. India had provided 100,000 doses of Covishield vaccine to the Maldives on January 20.
In a statement published on January 28, MFDA stated it has authorised the use of Covishield for “restricted use in emergency situation”. MFDA said the decision was based upon the consultation of the National Pharmaceutical Board which provides technical expertise to the authority.
In the statement, MFDA noted upon detailed analysis of documentation on the Covishield vaccine, the authority found that the brand has the same composition and formula as the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine which has been authorised for use by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. MFDA noted the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is an internationally renowned regulatory agency listed in the Stringent Regulatory Authority (SRA) List formulated by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
MFDA further stated the Covishield vaccine is only authorised to be given as a defence against COVID-19 for individuals over the age of 18. The authority also noted the vaccine must not be given to pregnant women.
MFDA noted every vaccine has the possibility of inducing reactions or side effects. Therefore, the authority said it will be closely monitoring the condition of individuals given the vaccine.
Over 2.8 million people in India have already been vaccinated with Covishield, and the vaccine is already being given in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and Brazil. The vaccine is also set to be rolled out in Sri Lanka on January 29.
As per the currently available data, the effectivity rate of the Covishield vaccine is 70-90%. No serious complications have been reported upon vaccination of those who have received Covishield.