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A group of delegates attending the third health working group meeting of G20 India here were impressed by Bharat Biotech’s Genome Valley plant during their visit to the facility on Tuesday, and termed it a “shining star”.
During the tour of the facility, delegates understood and observed how vaccines are made. Bharat Biotech produced the country’s first indigenous anti-Covid vaccine –Covaxin.
“It was really a great visit. We are grateful for the hospitality and it was great to see a lot of technology in action,” Alejandro Biondi Rodriguez from the UK said.
Another delegate Ebele Andi from the G20 Global Innovation Hub found the entire journey story of Bharat Biotech fascinating and inspiring.
“Impressive. I was speaking to the founders of Bharat Biotech and I think their story is so compelling because they talked about coming back to India and investing time and resources to make what we see today. And the passion comes through in their story and their work.
“I think it’s a shining star and something to be incredibly proud of, especially what they have been able to produce not just in terms of vaccines and resources for India but vaccines and resources for the world,” Andi said.
“I am very grateful for giving us the opportunity to visit this vaccine manufacturing facility. It is an impressive work that India has been doing so far. The entire journey of the company from the start to the development of the vaccine during the pandemic has been inspiring,” Sultana Mohammed Al Sabahi from the Ministry of Health, Oman said.
Roshan Musa from Canada said the technologies used are very sophisticated and advanced. And the vaccine development work that is being carried out here is splendid.
On the last day of the third health working group meeting of G20 India, a field trip was organised for the G20 delegates to visit the Genome Valley, which is India’s first organised cluster for Life Sciences research and development located in Hyderabad.
One of the key features of the Genome Valley is the presence of several research and innovation institutions. A separate group also visited the National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research (NARFBR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) facilities. The Genome Valley alone accounts for 33 per cent of the global vaccine production, including vaccines for diseases such as COVID-19, polio and rotavirus.
India’s G20 presidency focuses on three priorities in the health track. One of the priorities is health emergency prevention, preparedness and response with a focus on anti-microbial resistance and the One Health framework. The other is strengthening cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector with a focus on access and availability to safe, effective, quality and affordable medical countermeasures.
The third is digital health innovations and solutions to aid universal health coverage and improve healthcare service delivery.
