Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday urged for a joint effort by the BRICS nations on the development of a Covid-19 vaccine while suggesting that they could be produced in India or China, both of which are part of the five-country coalition.
"We believe it is important to speed up the establishment of the centre for development and research of BRICS vaccines, which we agreed to do two years ago, upon the initiative of our South African friends," Putin said in his address at the 12th BRICS summit via a video conference.
Hosted by the Russian President, the summit was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
"The Russian Direct Investment Fund has reached agreements with its Brazilian and Indian partners on conducting clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine, it has also reached an agreement with pharmaceutical companies in China and India to launch production of the vaccine in these countries not just to cover their needs, but for third countries as well," he added.
Developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute in Russia, Sputnik V became the world’s first registered coronavirus vaccine on August 11. The RDIF, on the other hand, has been involved in international investment in promotion and production of the vaccine.
Putin had earlier said that Sputnik V works "quite effectively" while forming a "stable immunity" against the virus. He revealed that the vaccine was administered on one of his daughters, who was feeling well.
According to interim trial results disclosed by the country’s health ministry last week, the Sputnik V vaccine was 92 percent efficient in battling against Covid-19.
The 12th BRICS summit, which was originally scheduled to be held at St Petersburg in July, was postponed due to the pandemic.
The BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa), with its combined GDP of $16.6 trillion, is seen as an influential council which represents half the world’s population, or 3.6 billion people.
