Coronavirus Live: UAE launches smart service for disposal of expired medicines

Geneva, London - Alliance currently covers 9 candidate vaccines; aims to secure supplies of and deliver 2 billion doses.

UAE launches smartphone service for the disposal of expired medicines
Healthcare facilities and pharmacies in the country may now dispose of expired and unusable medicines as medical waste through the new e-service of the Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap).
Owners and employees of health and pharmaceutical institutions can easily submit the form for the medical waste disposal on https://smartforms.moh.gov.ae/DDS. This platform, which can be accessed via smartphone at any time, also allows firms to save records and documents.
The new smartphone service ensures that these types of waste are handled safely and in an eco-friendly way. It also helps facilities maintain physical distancing and boost safety in the community amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
172 countries part of global Covid vaccine plan
Some 172 countries are engaging with the COVAX facility designed to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines, the World Health Organization said on Monday, but more funding is needed and countries need now to make binding commitments.
Countries wishing to be part of the global Covax plan have until August 31 to submit expressions of interest, WHO officials said, with confirmation of intention to join due by September 18, and initial payments due by October 9.
WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the facility was critical to ending the Covid-19 pandemic, and would not only pool risk for countries developing and buying vaccines, but also ensure prices are kept "as low as possible".
"Vaccine nationalism only helps the virus," he told a media briefing. "The success of the Covax facility hinges not only on countries signing up to it, but also filling key funding gaps."
Covax is co-led by the GAVI vaccines alliance, the WHO and the CEPI Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and is designed to guarantee equitable access globally to Covid-19 vaccines once they are developed and authorised for use.
It currently covers 9 candidate Covid-19 vaccines and its aim is to secure supplies of and deliver 2 billion doses across countries that sign up by the end of 2021.

"Initially, when there will be limited supply (of COVID-19 vaccines), it's important to provide the vaccine to those at highest risk around the globe," Tedros said.

He said this included health workers on the front lines of the pandemic, who were "critical to saving lives and stabilising the overall health system".