New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Indian COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers on Saturday, within two days of the country achieving a key milestone of administering 100 crore doses of the jabs, official sources said.
During the meeting, Modi discussed various issues including furthering the vaccine research, sources said.
Representatives from seven vaccine makers — Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Zydus Cadila, Biological E, Gennova Biopharma and Panacea Biotech — participated in the meeting.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar were also present in the meeting.
The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 101.30 crore, according to the latest health ministry data.
On October 21, India achieved a major milestone in its vaccination programme against COVID-19 as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 100-crore mark, resulting in celebratory events across various parts.
More than 75 per cent of India’s adult population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, with nine states and union territories administering the first dose to all eligible people.
Over 31 per cent of the country’s around 93 crore adults have been administered both doses, according to health ministry officials.
So far, all adult population in nine states and union territories — Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Dadra and Nagar Haveli — have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine.
Three vaccines — Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Sputnik V — are currently being used in the country’s Covid vaccination drive.