Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 23 October, praised the efforts of vaccine manufacturers for helping India cross 100 crore vaccination milestone during his meeting with seven Indian COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, PTI reported.
Representatives from Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Zydus Cadila, Biological E, Gennova Biopharma and Panacea Biotech attended the meeting, where Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar were also present.
"India needs to institutionalise best practices learnt during last one and half years," PM Modi said at the meeting, reported PTI. "Vaccine manufacturers must continuously work together to be ready to face future challenges; world looking up to India," he added.
Vaccine makers felt if country had been following old norms, there would have been considerable delay in vaccination against COVID-19, the PMO said, according to PTI.
They also praised PM Modi's "vision and dynamic leadership" and applauded the "never-seen-before collaboration between the government and the industry," the PMO statement added.
Union Health Ministry Urges States & UTs to Increase Pace and Coverage of 2nd Dose
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry reviewed the status and progress of COVID vaccination with different states and Union Territories. They also urged the states and Union Territories to increase the pace and coverage of the second dose.
They also asked the states to generate a district-wise plan involving district magistrates and a list of beneficiaries for administering the second dose.
As of 7 am on Saturday, the total number of vaccine doses administered was over 101.30 crore, as per the Health Ministry data, reported PTI.
India had achieved the milestone of administering 1 billion COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday, 21 October.
PM Modi Addresses Nation
PM Modi in his address to the nation on Friday hailed the country's vaccination drive and talked up the scientific nature of the vaccination drive.
"India's entire vaccination program is born in the womb of science, has grown on scientific grounds and has reached all four directions through scientific methods. It is a matter of pride for all of us that the entire vaccination program of India has been science born, science driven and science based," the prime minister said.
At the same time, the prime minister warned that complacency can be dangerous, and caution regarding COVID-19 should continue. He also appealed to all those who have not taken the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to give utmost priority to getting vaccinated.
"Those who are vaccinated should encourage others," he stated.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI and Hindustan Times.)
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