Venezuela offers assistance in producing COVID-19 vaccine to Russia, China

Venezuela has proposed assistance in producing COVID-19 vaccine to Russia, China and Cuba, the country’s health ministry confirmed on August 21. In addition, the country has also offered participation in the phase 3 trial of their newly revealed vaccine. The South American country is already battered by a political crisis, has reported near cases 

"We have already established communication and voiced our readiness to ... provide our platform for producing the vaccine ... in the talks with China, Russia as well as are discussing the issue with Cuba," Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said during the meeting of the presidential commission on fighting the coronavirus on August 21.

'Already in contact' 

Meanwhile, the country’s Health minister Carlos Alvarado reckoned that the most significant vaccines were being developed by the four countries- the US, China, UK and Russia. Speaking to international media reporters, he also revealed that Venezuela was already in contact with the four of them and was hoping for a deal.

Read: Russia To Roll Out COVID-19 Vaccine Doses By August End, Production Begins: Report

Read: Russia's Coronavirus Vaccine: Philippines To Begin Phase 3 Trials In October

Talking about Russia, Alvarado said that Caracas was already in talks with the Russian Ministry to create a partnership in developing a  “COVID-19 vaccine” “We have proposed our participation in the third phase of this project, Venezuela will provide 500 people for trials," he added. The lawmaker also revealed that the Venezuelan government was trying to organize joint production of vaccine and transfer of technologies with Russia.

Read: Russia's Second COVID-19 Vaccine Shows Positive Sign In Early Human Trials: Report

Read: Russia's Second COVID-19 Vaccine Shows Positive Sign In Early Human Trials: Report

This comes as the Russian Health Ministry recently confirmed that the country has already initiated the production of its COVID-19 vaccine, a development that comes days after Moscow announced ‘world’s first COVID-19 vaccine’. Named Sputnik V, the clinically approved vaccine against the novel coronavirus has been manufactured by the Gamaleya Research Institute in collaboration with the Russian Health Ministry. In the latest development, a second COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by Russia is showing positive results in early trials in humans, according to reports.

(With inputs from agencies)