PM Modi reviews vaccine development, production at 3 facilities

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune to review the development and manufacturing process of coronavirus vaccines at facilities in these cities. He visited the Zydus Biotech Park in Ahmedabad, Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad and Serum Institute of India in Pune.

"The scientists expressed joy that the Prime Minister met them face to face in order to boost their morale and help accelerate their efforts at this critical juncture in the vaccine development journey," an official statement said.

"The Prime Minister expressed pride in the fact that Indias indigenous vaccine development has progressed at such a rapid pace so far. He spoke on how India is following sound principles of science in the entire journey of vaccine development, while also asking for suggestions to make the vaccine distribution process better," it said.

The statement said Modi stressed that India considers vaccines as not only vital to good health but also as a global good, and it is India's duty to assist other countries, including the nations in our neighbourhood, in the collective fight against the virus.

"He (Modi) asked the scientists to express their free and frank opinion on how the country could further improve its regulatory process. The scientists also presented an overview of how they are also developing various new and repurposed drugs to better fight COVID-19," it said.

After the visit of the PM, Serum Institute of India (SII) said it is in the process of applying for an emergency use licensure for the AstraZeneca-Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine candidate in India in the next two weeks.

SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said: "We discussed the plan, the implementation plan which will happen only after the emergency use licensure, that is granted based on the data that will have to be submitted. We are in the process of submitting that officially to the drug controller of India...".

When asked if the company has applied for the emergency authorisation, Poonawalla said: "We are in the process of applying in next two weeks for an emergency use licensure."

He also said that the central government might purchase 300-400 million doses by July next year.