Vietnam approves Cuban COVID-19 vaccine Abdala

The Ministry of Health (MoH) conditionally adopted Cuba’s Abdala COVID-19 vaccine on September 17 for domestic use in Vietnam.

The vaccine has been developed by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) and manufactured by the AICA Laboratories Company and Base Business Unit (BBU) AICA in Cuba.

Its approval for use in the country comes following the Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals (POLYVAC) based in Hanoi requesting that the MoH allow the vaccine to be used locally.

Before granting approval, the MoH stipulated conditions for its use, with the Drug Administration of Vietnam being responsible for licensing the Abdala vaccine based on regulations relating to import management and quality control of imported vaccines.

The Department of Science, Technology and Training under the Ministry will be in charge of selecting a unit that is fully qualified to evaluate the vaccine’s safety and efficacy.

Furthermore, the General Department of Preventive Medicine will take responsibility for injecting Abdala vaccines in the country.

This marks the eighth COVID-19 vaccine that has been granted approval for emergency use in the nation.

The MoH has already granted approval for seven other vaccines for use locally, including AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Moderna (Spikevax), Pfizer (Comirnaty), Sinopharm (Vero Cell), and Hayat-Vax.