NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated the nation and thanked the
scientific and healthcare community after the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) gave the final approval to
Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield and
Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccines for
emergency use.
The announcement marks a “decisive turning point” in India’s spirited fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, PM Modi said soon after the announcement. PM Modi said that this will accelerate the process for India to become a Covid-free nation. "Every India would be proud that both vaccines are “made in India,” PM Modi said on Twitter.
The DCGI today approved Oxford Covid-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive. The approval by the DCGI was given on the basis of recommendations submitted by a COVID-19 subject expert committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
In a series of tweets, PM Modi said that it would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India! This shows the eagerness of our scientific community to fulfil the dream of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, at the root of which is care and compassion.
The Prime Minister once again extended his gratitude to doctors, medical staff, scientists, police personnel, sanitation workers and all 'Corona warriors' for the outstanding work they have done in adverse circumstances, and said the nation will remain eternally grateful to them for saving many lives.
The Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, has tied up with AstraZeneca to manufacture Covishield.
Covaxin has been indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).