Adar Poonawalla says SII asked to prioritise India's need for COVID vaccines
Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla on Sunday said the SII has been directed to prioritise the huge needs of India. Poonawalla further asked countries and governments to be patient as they await Covishield supplies. "Serum Institute of India (SII) has been directed to prioritise the huge needs of India and along with that balance the needs of the rest of the world," Adar Poonawalla said today.
Taking to Twitter, Adar Poonawalla said, “Dear countries & governments, as you await COVISHIELD supplies, I humbly request you to please be patient, Serum Institute of India has been directed to prioritise the huge needs of India and along with that balance the needs of the rest of the world. We are trying our best.”
Earlier on February 15, vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII) had said it will send the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University to Canada in less than a month.
Covishield is the brand name for the AstraZeneca-Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine.
India has already provided over 229 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines to various countries out of which 64 lakh doses have been supplied as grant assistance and 165 lakh on a commercial basis, the Ministry of External Affairs had said on February 12.
India is a major manufacturer of vaccines in the world.
