On 21 January 2021, Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced its approval of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in the UAE. The vaccine is based on human adenoviral vector-based platform. As of April 2021, it's effectiveness against COVID-19 is 97.6 per cent, according to analysis of data from 3.8 million vaccinated people in Russia.

The vaccine was registered under the emergency use authorisation based on Russia’s Phase III clinical trials on more than 33,000 participants. The UAE also participated in the vaccine’s phase III clinical trials with more than 1,000 volunteers who received the first dose under the supervision of MoHAP and Department of Health - Abu Dhabi. 

Sputnik V COVID-19 Vaccine was developed by The Gamaleya National Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology and Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.