Modi addresses India on achieving milestone of 100 crore vaccinations

Addressing the nation today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the difficult, but remarkable feat of administering 100 crore vaccine doses. He said 100 crore vaccinations are not just a figure, but a reflection of the strength of the country, it is the creation of a new chapter of history. This is a picture of a new India that sets difficult goals and knows how to achieve them.

The Prime Minister noted that today many people are comparing India’s vaccination programme with other countries of the world. He said the speed with which India crossed the 100 crore mark is also being appreciated. However, he pointed out, in this analysis, the point of beginning for India is often missed.

He said developed countries had decades of expertise in researching and developing vaccines. India mostly depended on vaccines made by these countries. He said for this reason when the biggest pandemic of the century struck, various questions were raised about India’s ability to fight the global pandemic. Questions like, from where will India get the money to buy so many vaccines from other countries? When will India get the vaccine? Will the people of India get the vaccine or not? Will India be able to vaccinate enough people to stop the pandemic from spreading?, were answered by achieving this feat of administering 100 crore vaccinations. He stressed that India has not only administered 100 crore vaccine doses to its citizens, but has also done that free of cost. He said the acceptance that India enjoys in the world as a pharma hub will be further strengthened.

The Prime Minister said that at the beginning of the corona pandemic, people were anxious that it would be difficult to fight this pandemic in a democracy like India. Questions were also raised whether so much restraint and so much discipline work here. He said that for us, democracy means taking everyone along – Sabka Saath. The country started the campaign of ‘Free Vaccine and Vaccine for Everyone.’ Vaccinations were given to poor-rich, rural-urban alike. He remarked that the country has only one mantra that if the disease does not discriminate, then there cannot be any discrimination in the vaccination. He said that’s why it was ensured that the VIP culture of entitlement does not dominate the vaccination campaign.

He also said that India’s entire vaccination programme is born in the womb of science, has grown on scientific grounds and has reached all four directions through scientific methods. He said it is a matter of pride for all of us that the entire vaccination programme of India has been science-born, science-driven and science-based. He said that before the vaccine was made and until the vaccine was administered, the entire campaign was based on a scientific approach.

Speaking in this regard, Nikkhil K Masurkar, Executive Director, ENTOD Pharmaceutical, said, “The milestone has re-acquainted the entire world with the immense capabilities of New India. At present, India is the largest provider of generic drugs globally. Indian pharma companies cater to over half of the global demand for various vaccines, along with 40 per cent of generic drugs demand in the US. With this significant achievement, not only the world will perceive India to be a safe destination, but it also strengthens India’s position to become a leading pharma hub provided the policies fall in place and support the industry’s requirements.”