GENEVA: In the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the World Health Organization (WHO) has postponed its evaluation process for granting emergency use authorization to Russia's Sputnik V vaccination against Covid.
According to a WHO official, the global health agency was obliged to postpone the evaluation since scheduling flights to Russia is impossible due to Western countries' closure of their airspace to Russian planes following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, according to the New York Times.
In addition, because Mastercard and Visa have ceased operations in Russia, the health agency's inspectors will be unable to use credit cards.
At a news conference in Geneva, Dr. Mariangela Simao, an assistant director general of the WHO, said, "We were supposed to go undertake inspections in Russia on March 7, and these inspections have been postponed for a later date."
"Assessment and inspections have been hampered as a result of the situation." According to the article, Simao stated that a fresh schedule would be written up as soon as feasible.
The Gamaleya Research Institute, which is part of Russia's Ministry of Health, produced the two-dose Sputnik V. According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which supported the vaccine's research, Russia began distributing the vaccine in the fall of 2020, and regulators in more than 70 nations have approved it for use.
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