Coronavirus Vaccine Adar Poonawalla thanks PM Modi for decisive 'policy changes and swift financial aid' amid vaccine shortage
Mumbai/IBNS: Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla has lauded the Centre's policy change in vaccination, bringing all above 18 under the mass drive and extending financial support to the vaccine manufacturers.
SII which is manufacturing Covishied, developed by Oxford University and Swedish drug giant AstraZeneca, in India has been given Rs 3,000 crore as 100 per cent advance till July, reported NDTV citing senior sources in the Finance Ministry.
A similar advance of Rs 1,500 crore has been given to Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, the producer of indegenous Covaxin, the report added.
"This will ensure that the two companies get necessary funding to continue and scale up production," the sources said, the report added.
Earlier, Adar Poonawalla had appealed to the Centre for funds to scale up manufacturing amid high demand of the vaccine within and outside India.
Both Bharat Biotech and SII were facing shortage of funds "to scale up production, purchase raw materials, pay staff, and make and distribute enough doses of the vaccines", stated the report.
Poonawall, on Tuesday, tweeted in appreciation of the Centre's move.
On behalf of the vaccine industry in India, I would like to thank and applaud Shri @narendramodi Ji, @nsitharaman Ji, for your decisive policy changes and swift financial aid which will help vaccine production and distribution in India. https://t.co/NedjaFLsx9
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) April 20, 2021
The states can now buy coronavirus vaccine doses directly from manufacturers in the "liberalised and accelerated Phase 3 strategy of COVID-19 vaccination".
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