New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry on Monday presented a nod for another laboratory in Hyderabad to test and release COVID-19 vaccines in an effort to speed up the vaccination drive in the country. The Union Health Ministry has approved National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) as a Central Drug Laboratory for releasing the COVID-19 vaccines.
The National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, an Indian autonomous research establishment, located in Hyderabad focuses on Infectious Diseases, Animal Genetics, Genomics, Transgenic Technology and Reproductive Biotechnology.
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According to reports, a meeting was conducted under the leadership of cabinet secretary to discuss on COVID-19 vaccination on November 11, 2020 and during the meet Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) were asked to intimate if NIAB's lab can be made into Central Drug Laboratory.
Following this, the Department of Biotechnology recommended NIAB and National Centre for Cell Sciences (NCCA), Pune as Central Drug Laboratories. Soon, the labs were allocated funds under Prime Minister Cares Fund Trust for upgradation.
A statement as quoted by reports had said, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has given notification to the Union Health Ministry for announcing NIAB Hyderabad as Central Drug Laboratory. Based on the notification, the Union Health Ministry announced NCCS Pune as Central Drug Laboratory on June 28, 2021.
The next National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) was notified on Monday. Both of the labs are expected to improve vaccine production and promote vaccine campaigns.