Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare digitally participated in a panel discussion on vaccine production and distribution across Asia at the “World Immunisation and Logistics Summit”, yesterday.

The virtual conference brought together over 1,000 attendees from around the region and the world in active discussion around tackling key issues facing global supply chains as the world faces the largest and most complex logistical operation in history in an effort to deliver life-saving vaccines worldwide.

The panel was excited to know how India is scaling up production of COVID-19 vaccines and how the government was working with local and international partners to ensure the timely distribution of these vaccines.

Vardhan showcased India’s vaccine administration program; the development of two vaccines in our country- Covishield and Covaxin; the priority pyramid of beneficiaries that targets those above 60 and above 45 with co-morbidities with focus on the recent decision to allow all citizens above 45 and above years for vaccination from 1st April, 2021.

Reminding everyone that India produces 60% of the world’s vaccine, he also detailed how infrastructure for India’s universal immunization programme provided a pivot for the COVID vaccine drive. On the dichotomy of helping, one’s countrymen or serving the entire humanity, he said, “More than 61 million vaccine doses have been already administered in our country. We always feel that benefits of the science be delivered to the whole world. 64 million doses have been given to 84 countries under various programs.”

Development of vaccine was actively and proactively supported by the government; the expert group for vaccine NEGVAC was formed 6 months before their launch which planned each detail of the vaccine, its manufacturing, logistics and administration. Half a dozen of vaccines are under clinical trial and around one dozen vaccines are in pre-clinical trial which are being monitored by the body, Dr Harsh Vardhan stated. The Union Minister also informed that there is significant amount of fund allocated for the research and development of vaccine.

The global panel discussion was moderated by popular news anchor Laura Buckwell, the panel had Madhav Kurup, Regional CEO MESA, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics and Dr. Pascal Rey-Herme, Co-Founder and Group Medical Director, International SOS as co-panelists.