Vaccine Manufacturers Laud PM Modi's Efforts, Say His Leadership Key Force In Vaccination Drive

Prime Minister Modi during the meeting discussed various issues, including furthering the vaccine research, sources said, PTI reported.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with the representatives of seven Covid-19 vaccine makers, including Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla.

Prime Minister Modi during the meeting discussed various issues, including furthering the vaccine research, sources said, PTI reported.

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Besides Poonawalla, the representatives from Bharat Biotech, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Zydus Cadila, Biological E, Gennova Biopharma and Panacea Biotech participated in the meeting.

The meeting, which was also attended by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and MoS Health Bharati Pravin Pawar, assumes significance as the country achieved a key milestone of administering 100 crore doses of the jabs.

Crediting Prime Minister Modi’s vision for the milestone, the Serum Institute CEO said that they discussed in the meeting how to take the industry forward and prepare for future pandemics.

“All over the world now, countries are going to invest in vaccine production and India needs to stay ahead. We discussed how to do that together with industry and government,” he said, PTI reported.

His father Cyrus Poonawalla also echoed similar sentiments.

“Had it not been for him (Modi) and (he) driving the health ministry, today India would not have been able to make a billion doses. There is no doubt in my mind about that,” he said.

Zydus Cadila chairman Pankaj Patel on his part said Prime Minister Modi was the “biggest factor” in the development of the DNA-based Covid vaccine.

With the administration of 68,48,417 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage has surpassed 100 crore mark.

The recovery of 17,677 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally of recovered patients (since the beginning of the pandemic) to 3,35,32,126.

Consequently, India’s recovery rate stands at 98.16 percent. The recovery rate is currently at its highest peak since March 2020.

All adult population in nine states and union territories, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, have so far received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, PTI reported.

Presently, three vaccines, including Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Sputnik V, are being used in the nation’s Covid vaccination drive.