India May Roll Out 'Fairly Huge Volume' Of Covid-19 Vaccines By Next Year: Bill Gates Hails India’s Role

COVID-19 Vaccine Manufacturing Update: Bill Gates said that the World is looking forward to India to get out a vaccine as fast as we can once we know that it is very effective and very safe.

(Representative Image/Getty)

Covid-19 Vaccine: Acknowledging India as a leading vaccine producer on global level, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Tuesday said that the world needs cooperation from India on manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine.  "India is a leading vaccine producer; we need cooperation from India on manufacturing COVID-19 vaccine," Bill Gates said. Speaking to news agency PTI, the Billionaire philanthropist went on to say that the World is looking forward to India to get out a vaccine as fast as we can once we know that it is very effective and very safe. He expressed his hope and confidence that Covid-19 vaccine will be rolled out from India next year. "It's very likely that roll-out of COVID-19 vaccine will take place in fairly big volume (in India) sometime next year. I'm quite optimistic that by first quarter of next year, several of COVID-19 vaccines will have final stage," Bill Gates said. "India's willingness to play big role in manufacturing vaccines, send some of these to developing countries will be critical," Gates added. In India, there are three Coronavirus vaccine candidates undergoing clinical trials. The Serum Institute of India (SII) has entered into a new landmark partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world's largest charities to accelerate the manufacturing and delivery of up to 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for India and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The collaboration will provide upfront capital to SII to help them increase manufacturing capacity. SII shares a long history of successful partnerships with Gavi and pharmaceutical companies to manufacture vaccines that protect against meningitis, severe diarrhea, pneumonia, and measles.