Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) hosted John Rakolta Jr., the US Ambassador to the UAE, to share the latest developments surrounding the success of the third phase of the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. Ambassador Rakolta was accompanied by Alison Dilworth, economic counselor, and Susan Holmes, economic associate and welcomed by Dr. Marwan Al Kaabi, acting group chief operations officer, SEHA and Dr. Nawal Ahmed Mohamed Al Kaabi, chief medical officer, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and chairperson of the National COVID-19 Clinical Management Committee. The delegation received a briefing on the processes for conducting the third phase of the clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine in the UAE, demonstrating its safety and effectiveness. As part of the briefing, the US ambassador and delegation toured SEHA's specialized center for conducting the clinical trials at Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), which is managed by the network's expert medical practitioners. Developed by Sinopharm CNBG and G42 Healthcare, a subsidiary of G42 Group, the inactive vaccine's clinical trials are a collaboration between the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi and SEHA. The trials are aligned with the vision of the UAE's wise leadership and their commitment to overcome the pandemic and contribute to the global healthcare sector. Dr. Al Kaabi said, "Under the guidance and direction of the UAE's leadership, SEHA has been fully equipped with all the necessary resources and wholly empowered to successfully complete the third phase of the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. "We are proud of the progress of the trials, and the UAE's role in providing a vaccine to combat the novel coronavirus, and are honored to share this progress with John Rakolta Jr., the US Ambassador to the UAE. "The success of the trials has resulted in the delivery of the first dose to frontline healthcare professionals in the UAE, achieving yet another milestone for the history books and setting a new benchmark in the world's response to the virus." "We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the community of the nation for their support in responding to the calls of the UAE government, volunteering, and their dedication in advancing the third phase of the clinical trials, as part of the 4Humanity campaign. "They have been pivotal in accomplishing these outcomes and achieving tremendous successes in the world's first clinical trials of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine," she continued. The clinical trials are part of a global effort to combat COVID-19 and were overseen by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention. Abu Dhabi, which is the key host of the clinical trials, is aligned with the UAE government's prominent role in international efforts to find a solution to this century's greatest health challenge. — WAM
