AHMEDABAD/HYDERABAD/PUNE, Nov 28 - Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune to review the development and manufacturing process of coronavirus vaccines at facilities in these cities. He visited the Zydus Biotech Park in Ahmedabad, the Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad and the Serum Institute of India in Pune. The scientists expressed joy when the Prime Minister met them face to face in order to boost their morale and help accelerate their efforts at this critical juncture in the vaccine development journey, an official statement said. It said the Prime Minister took pride in the fact that India�s indigenous vaccine development has progressed at such a rapid pace so far.
�He spoke on how India is following sound principles of science in the entire journey of vaccine development, while also asking for suggestions to make the vaccine distribution process better,� the statement said. Modi stressed that India considers vaccines as not only vital to good health but also as a global good, and it is India�s duty to assist other countries, including the nations in our neighbourhood, in the collective fight against the virus.
He asked the scientists to express their free and frank opinion on how the country could further improve its regulatory process. The scientists also presented an overview of how they are developing various new and repurposed drugs to better fight COVID-19.
Modi began by visiting pharma major Zydus Cadila�s manufacturing facility near Ahmedabad. Wearing a PPE kit, he reviewed the vaccine development process at the company�s research centre, located over 20 km from Ahmedabad. Modi was extensively briefed about the vaccine work at the plant by the company officials.
Zydus Cadila chairman Pankaj Patel recently said the company is aiming to complete the vaccine trial by March 2021, and could produce up to 100 million doses a year.
Modi landed at the Hakimpet Air Force station near Hyderabad around 1 pm and proceeded to pharma major Bharat Biotech�s vaccine manufacturing facility at Genome Valley, located around 20 km from the air station, by road. He reviewed the progress of Covaxin, a vaccine candidate being developed by the company, and also interacted with Bharat Biotech CMD Krishna Ella, scientists and senior management.
Covaxin, being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology, is undergoing phase-3 trials.
Modi landed in Pune at 4.30 pm on the last leg of his three-city vaccine work review visit. He then proceeded by helicopter to the campus of the Serum Institute of India (SII) at Manjari, located 17 km from the airport.
At the SII, Modi reviewed the progress of the �Covishield� vaccine being made there and interacted with the scientists. At the facility, Modi was received by Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, chairman of Poonwalla Group, and his son and SII CEO Adar Poonawalla. They briefed Modi about the work being carried out at the Institute, which has partnered with global pharma giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University for the vaccine.
Modi took off for Delhi at 6.25 pm, an official said. � PTI
