On Thursday Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met WHO Chief Scientist, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, and held discussions over the global health body’s approval for Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.

All documents required for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) have been submitted by Bharat Biotech for COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin to the World Health Organization (WHO) as of July 9 and the review process by the global health body has begun, the Rajya Sabha was informed last month.

Responding to a question on whether it has come to the notice of the government that Covaxin used in India as Covid vaccine is not recognised by many countries, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Ms Pawar in a written reply said, “The Government of India is aware that Covaxin at present is not part of WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL).”

Created by Bharat Biotech in partnership with National Institute of Virology and the Indian Council of Medical Research, Covaxin was given approval for emergency use on January 3. Trial results later showed the vaccine has an efficacy of 78 per cent