109 frontline workers join vaccine trials
Health care firm expects 500 staff to sign up for UAE Covid programme
Atotal of 109 frontline health professionals working with VPS Healthcare have volunteered for the phase III trials for the inactivated vaccine against the coronavirus.
The volunteers, employed across seven hospitals in the capital, have undergone the necessary medical checks, and received the first shot of the vaccine, the private health care provider announced yesterday.
The trial programme, titled 4Humanity, is exploring the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical giant, Sinopharm China National Biotec Group.
‘Very optimistic’
“During the last few months, I have seen many patients who have come to me struggling to breathe, and fighting other complications. Sometimes, I felt desperate at my limitation in helping the patient as we do not have a proper cure for the disease. [So] we are very optimistic about the UAE’s vaccine trial,” said Dr Mohanad Motasim Mohammad, general practitioner at Medeor Hospital Abu Dhabi and 4Humanity volunteer.
“When Seha (Abu Dhabi Health Services) had invited volunteers to participate in the programme, I wanted to be a part of it,” he added.
Gilbert Jr Frias Soriano, staff nurse at Burjeel Hospital, who also volunteered for the trial, said, “The condition in the UAE has improved and the number of cases has declined significantly. But still, it is too early for us to say that the [worldwide] threat is over. Millions of people across the world are still suffering, and vaccine trials are our only hope. Volunteering at the 4Humanity programme is my way of supporting the clinical trial and continuing my battle against the Covid-19.”
VPS is one of the UAE’s largest health care providers.
More volunteers
Dr Lalu Chacko, medical director at Burjeel Hospital Abu Dhabi, said the group is expecting 500 of its staff members to be part of the trials. “We at VPS Healthcare have decided to extend our complete support to the UAE’s clinical trial initiative. It is encouraging to see that our health care professionals are voluntarily willing to be a part of the programme,” he said.