India capable of producing Covid-19 vaccine for the world: Bill Gates

New Delhi : India's pharmaceutical industry is well capable of producing Covid-19 vaccine not just for the nation but for the entire world, said Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates.

A lot of "very important things have been done" in India and its pharma industry is doing work “to help make the coronavirus vaccine building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases”, said the Co-Chair and Trustee of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

In a documentary movie - Covid-19: India’s War Against The Virus – that will be released on Discovery Plus this Thursday, Bill Gates said India also faces a huge challenge due to the health crisis because of its gigantic size and urban centres with a lot of population density.

Talking about country pharmaceutical strength, he said, “India has a lot of capacity there -- with the drug and vaccine companies that are huge suppliers to the entire world. You know, more vaccines are made in India than anywhere-- starting with Serum Institute, that’s the largest.” He further said, “But (there are) also Bio E, Bharat (Biotech), many others. They are doing work to help make the coronavirus vaccine, building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases.”

Highlighting Gates foundation’s role, he said it has “worked for the Indian government on health issues like introducing new vaccines over the last decade; and so when Covid-19 came along, we stepped in and said you know where are the gaps, we have been funding work on detection and isolation. “We have been particularly active in UP and Bihar where we have done health delivery in the past.” The foundation is also working with the department of personnel and training to take their online training platforms and “are now using that guidance to help their frontline health workers”, Gates said.