CAIRO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st January, 2021) Tunisia has registered the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus disease, the country's health ministry said on Saturday.
The registration has been issued based on the vaccine's clinical trials.
"The Sputnik V vaccine has received a temporary one-year registration for distribution at the Tunisian market, through the emergency procedure," the ministry said in a statement, obtained by Sputnik.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has been involved in the vaccine's development and production, has confirmed the registration.
"More and more countries are recognizing the safety and high efficacy of Sputnik V, and today we are delighted to announce the emergency use authorization granted by Tunisia, which has become the third African nation to approve the vaccine. This is an important step aimed at prevention of the spread of the coronavirus. RDIF is ready to help Tunisia obtain access to one of the best vaccines in the world," RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement.
This makes Tunisia the third African country to register the Russian vaccine, following Algeria and Guinea.
Sputnik V was the first COVID-19 vaccine registered in Russia. It is 91.4 percent effective, based on the data from the first 22,714 trial participants who have received both shots of the two-dose vaccine or placebo.
The vaccine has already been cleared for emergency use in some countries, including Argentina, Hungary, and Palestine. The registration process in the European Union is underway.
