New vaccine production unit rising to help Middle East in COVID fight

Updated: July 29, 2022 Source: China Daily
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An aerial view of the vaccine production facility constructed by CSCEC in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. [Photo/China Daily]

Under the scorching sun in a desert area over 60 kilometers north of the center of Abu Dhabi, a team comprised of engineers from 13 countries is sweating at the construction site of a medical facility in the Khalifa Industrial Zone (KIZAD) in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Unlike views of the desolate desert surroundings, indoors there are many experts busy arranging the interior layout of the vaccine production equipment and power lines-all for the purpose of better arming the region in its future fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Covering 250,000 square meters, the facility is another cooperation project signed between China and the UAE under the Belt and Road Initiative. After completion, the very first vaccine production line with direct involvement of China in the UAE will play a key role in delivering COVID-19 vaccines in the Middle East and North Africa, with its annual capacity reaching 200 million doses per year, said its builder-the China State Construction Engineering Corp Middle East.

"It's a project worth being proud of, not only because we saw it rise from our own hands, but also because it marks another contribution by our country, with us participating in, to the world," said Zheng Chunguang, a senior executive with CSCEC.

Also serving as the deputy general manager of CSCEC Middle East's Building Division, Zheng said that though work only began about a year ago, the construction team is on track to deliver the vaccine factory at record speed with completion expected in the coming months.

"We have only 16 months on the design and construction, and the official operation is around the corner, a record speed thanks to the use of BIM (building information modeling) simulation before on-site construction," Zheng said.

Located a 40 minute-drive from downtown Abu Dhabi, the project includes two warehouses and a power station, and the advanced completion of the project was "an achievement of cooperation between construction workers from both sides".

Taking great pride in what has been achieved, Hristo Donchev, a Bulgarian engineer with CSCEC's team, said the speed at which the project has progressed was only made possible due to having many construction teams working around the clock.

"We have done airports, we have done residential buildings, but here, it's a little bit different because you are giving something more which is not commercial, it's for the well-being of the people," Donchev said.

The facility marks only the latest collaboration between the two countries in the healthcare sector. Last year, an agreement was reached for vaccines by China National Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd, or Sinopharm, to be produced in the region through a partnership between China National Biotec Group Co, a Sinopharm unit, and UAE-owned firm G42-the same firms also responsible for the vaccine factory.

"I have worked in the UAE for 15 years, and I joined CSCEC Middle East only last year. It is a builder that has finished many iconic projects worldwide, and I also enjoy working here as my colleagues are from different countries," said Amgad Farzat, a construction manager with the project team.

"I'm proud that we have this factory here in the UAE," said Farzat, adding that he believes the facility will play a key role in supporting more Arab countries' fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vital infrastructure like this, perhaps especially in the healthcare sector, will be crucial to providing a brighter future for all, he said.

Apart from the UAE facility, China is also cooperating with Serbia in building a vaccine production facility, labeling the country the first one in Europe to produce vaccines by Sinopharm.

According to a report in the People's Daily, till June, China has provided more than 2.2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations, and has successively transferred vaccine-related technology to, or cooperated in vaccine production with, more than 20 countries, forming an overseas annual production capacity of 1 billion doses.

China's overseas vaccine production facilities, as part of the second-largest economy's caring moves in ways of infrastructure and healthcare, are playing a major role in helping "narrow the COVID-19 prevention gap between nations", said Deng Boqing, vice-chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency during the 2022 annual meeting of the Boao Forum in Hainan province in April.

Ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has well shouldered its due role in the global fight against the pandemic, the end of which, however, still depends on more integrated efforts from more countries, Deng said.

Editor: Duan Jing