COVID-19: PM Modi holds review meeting of vaccine research, deployment strategy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a review meeting of research and vaccine deployment ecosystem against COVID-19 pandemic including testing techlogies, contact tracing, drugs, and rapeutics, etc, his office said on Thursday.

India, second country to have most Coronavirus cases, is ramping up efforts to develop and mass-produce a vaccine to deal with a pandemic that has claimed over 1.10 lakh lives in country. PM Modi appreciated efforts made by Indian vaccine developers and manufacturers amid rush and assured m continued government facilitation and support.

He took stock of Health Ministry’s comprehensive distribution and delivery mechanism for vaccines. This includes mechanisms for adequate procurement, and techlogies for bulk-stockpiling, filling vials for distribution, and ensuring effective delivery, PMO said.

He directed officials to scale up both sero-surveys and testing capacity and said regular, speedy, and inexpensive testing facility must be available to all at earliest. Prime Minister reiterated country’s resolve to provide cost-effective, easily available, and scalable solutions for testing, vaccine, and medication, t only for India but for entire world, PMO said.

meeting was attended by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Principal Scientific Advisor K. VijayRaghavan, NITI Aayog members, senior scientists, and or officials.

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Vaccine distribution policy

On Tuesday, with high hope to have over 400 to 500 million doses of Coronavirus vaccine in India, Harsh Vardhan had chaired a meeting with a group of ministers in Delhi to discuss status of cure for viral infection in country as well as internationally. In meeting, a plan of action focusing on which sections will be given priority was also discussed. Health Minister told ANI that distribution of Coronavirus vaccine will be monitored through a scientific approach. 

Earlier, All India Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr. Randeep Guleria has said that if everything goes as per plan, COVID-19 vaccine can be expected in India by January 2021. Centre has directed head of National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration, Dr. VK Paul, to prepare a plan on how vaccine will be distributed in country. According to Paul,  cure will be first distributed to those who need it most. listing of healthcare workers will be completed by end of October or early vember, he added.

India's vaccine candidates

India has three indigeus vaccine candidates which are undergoing trials in different phases — Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila's ZyCoV-D, and ar one by Serum Institute of India in collaboration with Oxford University vaccine and AstraZeneca.

While Covaxin and ZyCoV-D are nearing completion of phase 2 clinical trials and results of phase 2 will likely be available by early vember, Oxford-Serum Institute vaccine is in phase 3 trials whose results will be available by vember end, according to VK Paul.

(PTI photo for representation)

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