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India’s Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech to treble Covid vaccine output to 210 million doses a month by September/October
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, May 27:
India’s Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech will treble their Covid-19 vaccine output to 210 million doses a month by September or October from 74 million doses at present, the Government said here on Thursday.
Dr VK Paul, head of India’s Covid-19 task force, said that indigenous Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing firm Bharat Biotech started with around nine million doses production capacity. The Hyderabad-based pharma company will ramp it up to around 100 million doses per month by September or October this year, he added.
Dr Paul, who is also NITI Aayog member, said that the Serum Institute of India (SII) of Pune in Maharashtra is also ramping up production of its Covishield vaccine from 650 million doses per month at present to around 110 million doses, also by September or October.
The SII is world’s largest vaccine-manufacturing company by volume. Serum and Bharat Biotech are the only two companies in India that have received nod from government to produce the Covid-19 vaccines.
However, Panacea Biotech in collaboration with Russian sovereign wealth fund RDIF has begun the production of ‘Sputnik V’ Covid-19 vaccine in India.
Sputnik V was registered in India under the emergency use authorisation procedure on April 12, 2021.
According to the union health ministry, India’s cumulative vaccination coverage has exceeded 202.6 million as of May 27.
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Senior Journalist Victor Ivan passes away
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Landslide early warnings issued to the district of Badulla , Kandy , Kurunegala and Matale
The National Building Research Organization [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Kurunegala and Matale at 0800 hrs today valid until 0800hrs on Monday 20th January 2025.
Accordingly,
Level II [Amber] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy district and Rattota, Yatawatta, Ukuwela and Wilgamuwa in the Matale district.
Level I [Yellow] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Badulla, Passara and Hali Ela in the Badulla district, Meda Dumbara, Phatha Dumbara and Doluwa in the Kandy district and Laggala Pallegama, Ambanganga Korale, Pallepola, Naula and Matale in the Matale district
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It is the Government’s intention to provide justice to the grieving people – Prime Minister
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said that it is the Government’s intention to provide justice to the people who are deprived of the same due to rewards and sponsorships.
The Premier made this statement at the occasion of handing over the renovated Court of Appeal building to the public on Saturday (18). The renovations was a donation from the People’s Republic of China.
Further she mentioned that the investment made in a country’s judicial system and in the provision of facilities for the delivery of justice to the people is a reflection of the commitment made towards the country and its people. “This is not just a building, but a symbol of the delivery of justice, fairness of law, equality and dignity. Our country has suffered for decades because many were denied justice under systems of rewards and sponsorships. Our intention is to resolve those deficiencies, bring forth fairness and ensure that everyone has access to justice”, she added.
“The people must be able to keep trust and rely on the judicial system by exemplifying that the legal powers granted to judges by the Constitution are exercised fairly and providing independent and fair judgment to the parties concerned. Everyone, including women, children and the disabled community, expects justice. Their aspiration is that such a system will ensure that no one faces hardships, an attention will be paid to their mental conditions, protection from the consequences they may face when seeking justice for them or defending their rights. All actors in this process must be treated with respect. There are people who have faced hardships for years in the pursuit of justice. We ensure that they are treated fairly. They should not be subjected to intimidation, harassment or threat in the pursuit of justice”, the Premier highlighted.
The Prime Minister further expressed her gratitude to the People’s Republic of China for their generosity and support.
A group of invitees including the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, Chief Justice Murdu Fernando and many others participated in this event.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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