Dr Walid Abbas Zaher introduces to Hjayceelyn M. Quintana Filipino nurses involved in the UAE-China COVID-19 Candidate Vaccine Phase III Clinical Trial at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Hjayceelyn M. Quintana has expressed gratefulness to all Filipino health workers taking part as among the core at the ongoing UAE-China Phase III clinical trial for a possible vaccine against the novel coronavirus (COVID19).

Quintana personally thanked them – 180 nurses and one doctor – when she went through the “walk-through of the trial process from the registration up to the actual vaccination” at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, hosted by  G42 Healthcare Chief Research director/Vaccine Project lead Dr Walid Abbas Zaher on Aug.16.

The ongoing world’s landmark Phase III clinical trial is a joint project of the UAE homegrown-Abu Dhabi-based G42, a leading Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing Company, and the pharmaceutical company Sinopharm of the state-owned China National Biotech Group. The agreement was formally sealed on June 24 with UAE and China government officials and health authorities in attendance, both in Abu Dhabi and Beijing.

Sinopharm had developed two inactivated (bacteria and viruses killed with a chemical treatment) vaccines in its two laboratories, namely the Beijing Institute of Biological Products and the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products. These had been ranked third and fourth among 30 COVID-19 candidate vaccines in the “Draft Landscape of COVID19 Candidate Vaccines” of the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of Aug.20, 2020.

These two inactivated vaccines are the ones being tested in the UAE with 15,000 healthy and fit volunteers-hopefully representative of all nationalities residing across the seven emirates.

The Abu Dhabi Health Corp. (Seha) is overseeing the clinical trial in the capital. The Ministry of Health and Prevention is supervising the Sharjah counterpart ongoing at the Al Qarain Health Centre in Al Gharayen District.

On Aug.16, Zaher introduced to Quintana the Filipino nurses working at the site. He expressed the UAE’s appreciation for the role they play in the mission. He said the ambassador’s visit contributed in boosting their morale.

Quintana said: “There is a core Filipino value called ‘pakikipagkapwa’ which can be roughly described as ‘one’s care for his or her fellow human being.’ The dedication given by Filipinos involved in the vaccine trial springs forth from this Filipino value.”

Nurse Rogelio Buezon Jr said: “We are privileged and grateful to see our ambassador taking time to visit the Filipino frontliners. This is a great way to send a message of hope that the Philippine government values the efforts of the frontliners like us, especially during these times.”

Meanwhile, among the first 5,000 clinical trial random vaccine/placebo inoculation volunteers was Neil Bie, a Filipino journalist who lives and works in the capital.

He detailed through his Facebook account what it was like, claiming he has not experienced any negative reaction except for the pain once vaccinated and a headache: “The Seha constantly monitors us. I volunteered as an appreciation for how the UAE leadership and authorities keep all us residents safe and secure. They strictly enforce the laws which is why the COVID19 cases are at a minimum.”

He mentioned in his Facebook post his “kababayan” nurses at the ADNEC clinical trial namely Dianne Erika Manaois Fajardo, Mike Siapno and Rvn Ong.

More than 23.06 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 798,997 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, announced on Sunday that it conducted 71,216 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours, using state-of-the-art medical testing equipment.

In a statement, the ministry stressed its aim to continue expanding the scope of testing nationwide to facilitate the early detection of coronavirus cases and carry out the necessary treatment.

As part of its intensified testing campaign, MoHAP announced 390 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of cases in the UAE to 67,007.