Serum Institute Requests Centre to Let Them Provide Extra Vaccine Doses To Pune
Pune, 25th May 2021: The Serum Institute of India (SII) has requested the central government to let them supply more doses of Covishield to Pune.
“SII is located in Pune and all the staff and officers working here are from Pune. Therefore, special permission should be given to Pune for an additional supply of Covishield vaccines”, SII stated in a letter to the central government.
Mayor Muralidhar Mohol also called on Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan. He sent a letter to Harsh Vardhan requesting special permission for the Serum Institute to supply 25 lakh doses to Pune. The next phase of vaccination in Pune now depends upon the decision of the central government.
Mohol, Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar, Standing Committee Chairman Hemant Rasne had last week gone to the Serum Institute and insisted on Covishield vaccines.
Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is making efforts to increase vaccination with special permission from the Central Government or through private hospitals. Vaccination has started in private hospitals.
The first and second wave of Corona has hit Pune hard. As many citizens as possible must be vaccinated to prevent a possible third wave, officials said.
Mayor Mohol had also written to the Serum Institute to get the vaccine. The Executive Director of the Serum Institute, Dr SS Jadhav replied to the mayor’s letter. “Cyrus Poonawala, chairman of Serum Institute, is keen to help the Pune Municipal Corporation. He also wants to give priority to Pune. However, as per the guidelines of the Central Government, the company can only supply vaccines to the Centre, state governments and private hospitals. Therefore, permission should be obtained from the Central Government to supply vaccines to Pune”, Jadhav said.
