Pak-Saudi study finds Covid-19 vaccine safe and effective in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

PESHAWAR: A collaborative research study between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia has determined that the Covid-19 vaccine is safe, with no observed adverse effects, and effectively boosts immunity among recipients in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The study was jointly carried out by Khyber Medical University (KMU) and King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. The research team included Waleed M Bawazir, Ahmad Al Ibad, Muneeba Mohsin, Hanouf A Niyazi, Turki A Alamri, Mohammed A Bazuhair, Mohannad Hazzazi, Noura A Chehab, Steve Harakeh, and Yasar Mehmood Yousafzai.

According to the findings published in the Biomedicines Journal UK, the researchers reported that no clinical adverse events were detected among individuals who received the Covid-19 vaccine. The study also found that vaccination significantly increased immunity, helping protect recipients from the infectious disease, which has claimed over 20,000 lives in Pakistan.

Yasar Mehmood Yousafzai, one of the researchers, stated that the study has attracted international attention, especially as global Covid-19 narratives have been predominantly influenced by Western institutions. The research also outlined several vaccination-related issues for policymakers to consider in future immunization programmes.

The study’s results are expected to contribute to ongoing discussions about vaccine safety and efficacy, particularly in the context of Pakistan’s public health response to the pandemic.