The UAE is ramping up its capacity to manufacture coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines soon as part of the country’s initiative to provide support to the international community.

“We are building up capacity for future manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine,” Dr Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson for the UAE health sector said in a report on Khaleej Times.

“There has been a lot of expectation from the UAE of different stakeholders. Our leadership position is to provide as much support to the international community. However, we are not a vaccine manufacturer and we are building up capacity for future manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine as well,” the health official added.

The UAE said this is part of the country’s long-term vision in addressing the increasing demand for COVID-19 vaccines across the globe.

“A long-term strategic vision is there to support international community. We are having many conversations on how best the UAE can support different countries with the vaccine supply network, infrastructure, sharing knowledge and other different means,” she said.

The health official added that for now UAE’s priority is to secure its own supply of vaccines for its citizens and then proceed with talks to different vaccine manufacturers.

“The UAE has been working during the whole COVID-19 period to provide aid and support to different countries through international collaboration. The UAE leadership has been trying to work out a balance between ensuring the availability of vaccine for our society and also working with the international community to ensure availability to other countries,” she added.

Dubai, a key transport hub, has announced on Sunday its initiative in helping to accelerate delivery of COVID-19 vaccines into developing nations.

The statement comes after the World Health Organization expresses concern that at the current rate, poor countries are being abandoned in getting their COVID-19 vaccine supply.

The Vaccine Logistics Alliance, which includes Dubai-based Emirates airline and global logistics giant DP World, hopes to speed up distribution of vaccines in the world according to a report in AFP.

The alliance will support the WHO’s COVAX facility, which aims to distribute 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The alliance however did not say how many vaccines will they deliver.

“The distribution will particularly focus on emerging markets, where populations have been hard-hit by the pandemic, and pharmaceutical transport and logistics are challenging,” the alliance said. (TDT)