Covid-19 vaccination: Modi asks jab-makers to scale up production

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged vaccine manufacturers to continuously scale up their production capacity to inoculate all Indians in the shortest possible time.

Interacting with vaccine manufacturers from across the country via video conferencing, Modi said the private sector will play an even more active role in the vaccination drive in the coming days and that this will require better coordination between hospitals and industry.

He also assured all possible support and smooth approval process for the vaccine candidates which are currently under trial phase.

The health infrastructure of our private sector has played a big role in the country’s fight against COVID-19, he said.
According to a statement from the PMO, Modi noted that the government has now allowed the vaccination for every adult starting from May 1 as it believes in the manufacturers’ ability of vaccine makers.

The prime minister credited the manufacturers for developing and producing vaccines in a record time and noted that the vaccines developed are the cheapest, with India undertaking the world’s largest inoculation programme.

He also appreciated the efforts and studies being conducted by Indian scientists in the development of new vaccines.
Modi said the biggest strengths of the Indian vaccine industry are its ‘Samarthya, Sansadhan and Seva Bhaav’ (capability, resource and spirit of service) and these are what makes them a vaccine leader in the world.

He said throughout the process of developing and manufacturing vaccines, the country has constantly worked with the spirit of public-private partnership under the ‘Mission Covid Suraksha’, and created an end-to-end vaccine development ecosystem.

“The government ensured that all the vaccine manufacturers not only get all possible help and logistic support, but also the process of vaccine approval is speedy and scientific,” Modi said.

The vaccine manufacturers thanked him for the government’s decision of allowing vaccination for everyone above the age of 18 and various steps taken to give more incentives and flexibility, the statement said.

They also appreciated the prime minister’s leadership for the support they have received from the government of India throughout the process of vaccine development and production.

They also discussed their plans to ramp up production, upcoming vaccine candidates and research on the new variants, the statement said.