On Monday, a delegation from the United Kingdom (UK) visited Pune-headquartered Serum Institute of India (SII) facility. The visit was intended to further enhance the existing relation between India and the UK on manufacturing and innovation in the healthcare space. This was also the first visit of a trade minister to the country post the Covid19 pandemic.
The delegation saw UK Secretary of State for International Trade Elizabeth Truss, member of Parliament, who visited the facility and saw the manufacturing of Covishield. SII chief executive officer (CEO) Adar Poonawalla said, “It was an honour to have the Secretary of State for International Trade, UK and a delegation, visit our headquarters. We discussed how to further enhance the existing relationship between India & the UK on manufacturing & innovation in the healthcare space.”
Following the visit, Truss tweeted, ‘Met Adar Poonawalla at the world’s largest vaccine producer SII on India and UK collaboration and trade. They have made 100 million doses of the Oxford-AZ vaccine. Also making some of the 1.3 billion doses as part of COVAX to help vaccinate the world. The UK is co-funding £548m.”
SII in collaboration with Unicef has entered into a long-term supply agreement for Covid-19 vaccines, to access two vaccine products through technology transfer from AstraZeneca and Novavax, both of which are currently being manufactured by SII. Unicef, along with procurement partners, will have access to up to 1.1 billion doses of vaccines for around 100 countries, for approximately $3 a dose for the low- and lower middle-income countries.
{{/usCountry}}SII in collaboration with Unicef has entered into a long-term supply agreement for Covid-19 vaccines, to access two vaccine products through technology transfer from AstraZeneca and Novavax, both of which are currently being manufactured by SII. Unicef, along with procurement partners, will have access to up to 1.1 billion doses of vaccines for around 100 countries, for approximately $3 a dose for the low- and lower middle-income countries.
{{/usCountry}}The MP has earlier on Saturday, paid a visit to the Minister for Commerce and Industry of India Piyush Goyal to discuss the India - UK trade and investment relationship. In a joint statement issued by both the leaders, the ministers welcomed the deepening of bilateral health cooperation between the two countries, including on vaccines, which is enabling our countries to act as a global force for good during these challenging times. They also committed to relaunch the UK-India CEO Forum and agreed on the CEO Forum meeting at the earliest. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work with businesses to improve the business environment and collectively address the challenges to post-Covid-19 economic recovery.
*Photo sourced from Adar Poonawalla’s twitter, UK MP Elizabeth Truss and and Poonawalla holding a vial of Covishield at the Serum institute facility.