SII CEO Adar Poonawalla reacts to Exac Director's remarks against govt over COVID vaccine

Shortly after Serum Institute of India (SII), Executive Director Sudesh Jadhav said that the government began vaccinating people from multiple age groups without taking into account the availability of stocks, CEO Adar Poonawalla said that only the official spokesperson of the company is allowed to speak on such issues. 

While speaking to news agency ANI, Adar Poonawalla said, "He isn't authorized to speak on these issues only the official spokesperson of the company is allowed to speak."

SII's Executive Director: 'Govt did not consider WHO guidelines'

Earlier, while speaking at an online health summit, Jadhav said the government began vaccinating people from multiple age groups without taking into account the availability of stocks. He also said that the government did not consider WHO guidelines. Serum Institute has made it clear that this is not the view of the company.

Jadhav said the government started the vaccination drive knowing well that it did not have adequate stock. Initially, 300 million people were to be administered the vaccine for which 600 million doses were required, but before that target was reached, the vaccination drive was opened to non-priority groups, including people above the age of 45 years and then people above the age of 18 years, he said. "That is the greatest lesson we learnt. We must take into account the availability of the product and then use it judiciously," he said.

Serum Institute has been the centre of several controversies in recent days. After the Centre allowed state governments and private hospitals to directly procure vaccines from the manufacturers, Serum courted controversies overselling the vaccines at different rates to the Centre and the state governments. After the rates were revised, Adar Poonawalla said in an interview he was under immense pressure and was facing unprecedented aggression over the vaccine.

(Image: PTI)