E-Paper
Vaccine makers thank PM Modi, say he went out of his way to ensure fast approval for Covid-19 jabs
PM Modi discussed preparedness for future pandemics with the vaccine makers, Adar Poonawalla said after the meeting.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the seven Indian Covid-19 vaccine makers on Saturday, two days after the country achieved the glorious feat of inoculation India's 100 crore population against Covid-19, the manufacturers thanked PM Modi for his continuous support and help in the process of getting the vaccines ready in record time and then bringing them from the laboratory to the people.
“PM went out of his way, made everyone move very fast... Had it not been for him... and the health ministry, today India would not have been able to make a billion doses,” Serum Institute's Cyrus Poonawalla said after the meeting.
"When he came to our plant in Pune in November, I assured him and today he is very happy that our assurance has been fulfilled..that we would make India self-sufficient in Covid-19 vaccine too, like in all other vaccines, at the lowest possible price in the world. That is the main achievement of the vaccine industry," Cyrus Poonawalla said.
"We discussed how to take the industry forward, to prepare for future pandemics, to continue enhancing the capacities and other things that will support the vaccine industry going forward. All over the world, countries are now investing in vaccine production and India needs to stay ahead and we discussed how to do that," Adar Poonawalla said after the meeting.
"Our DNA vaccine has been developed by the efforts of our scientists. The major support came from PM Modi. He encourages us from the very beginning that go ahead, the government is with you. It is our pride that PM Modi talked about our vaccine in the United Nations. We are hopeful that India will progress fast in this new chapter of innovation," Pankaj Patel of Zydus Cadila said.
