SII's Cyrus, Adar Poonawalla laud PM Modi for accelerating nation's vaccination drive

Days after the nation completed the 100-crore vaccine milestone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Indian COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers in Delhi on Saturday. After the meeting, Serum Institute of India (SII) Managing Director Cyrus Poonawalla hailed PM Modi for 'going out of his way' to propel the nation's vaccination drive. Poonawalla revealed that from driving the Health Ministry to getting regulatory permissions, if India had reached the 1 billion mark, it was all thanks to the efforts of PM Modi.

He told ANI, "PM went out of his way, made everyone move very fast. Had it not been for him... and driving the Health Ministry, today India would not have been able to make a billion doses."

"There's no doubt in my mind about that. When he came to Pune in November I had assured him and today he was happy that our assurance had been fulfilled to make India self-sufficient in vaccines and in the covid vaccines, (make them available) at the lowest possible price in the world. The Prime Minister went out of his way to get regulatory permissions and today India is where it is in covering such a huge population", Cyrus Poonawalla added.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SII, Adar Poonawalla also thanked the Indian Government for helping the nation and vaccine manufacturers achieve the landmark numbers. "With government, we have worked and that’s the reason we achieved this goal. We discussed the future plans and how we can enhance related policies with PM Modi. India needs to stay ahead in exporting and producing the vaccine", said Adar Poonawalla.

PM meets Indian Vaccine manufacturers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met Indian COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers two days after India reached the 100 crore vaccines milestone. The representatives of Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech, Zydus Cadila,  Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Gennova Biopharma, Biological E, and Panacea Biotech participated in the meeting. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar were also present in the meeting.

India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in India have crossed the 101.30 crore mark, according to a Health Ministry update for Saturday.  More than 31% of the country's adult population has been double jabbed.