India is the only country that has the capacity to manufacture anti-Covid vaccine for the entire world, Australian Ambassador Barry O'Farrell said on Wednesday after visiting the Hyderabad facilities of two pharmaceutical companies working on vaccines.
"There are many vaccines being produced in countries around the world but there's only one country that has the manufacturing capacity to produce sufficient quantities to satisfy the demands of citizens in every country and that's India," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
On Wednesday, 64 ambassadors and high commissioners of several countries visited two key biotech companies -- Bharat Biotech and Biological E -- that are developing vaccines against the novel coronavirus.
Bharat Biotech, which is developing a vaccine in partnership with Indian Council of Medical Research or ICMR, has filed for the government's approval. Today, the company's chairman and managing director, Dr Krishna Ella, made a presentation to the heads of foreign missions on various aspects of vaccine production in India, news agency PTI reported.
The envoys were conveyed that 33 per cent of global vaccines are produced in genome valley in Hyderabad, the agency said.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said a COVID-19 vaccine was expected to be available in the next few weeks.
"Experts believe we will not have to wait long now... As soon as we get a green signal from the scientists, the vaccination drive will start. The Centre is working with states to determine priority groups for vaccination," he had said.
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