Dr Cyrus Poonawalla CoE in Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness will be located at the Indian Institute of Public Health.
Published Feb 19, 2023 | 2:27 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 19, 2023 | 2:28 PM
Telangana IT and Industries Minister KTR with SII CEO Adar Poonawalla and others during World Economic Forum in Davos. (Supplied)
The Serum Institute of India (SII) has announced the establishment of the Dr Cyrus Poonawalla Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness in Hyderabad.
This centre is expected to be located at the Indian Institute of Public Health in Hyderabad (IIPH-H).
The CoE is being set up to provide the community with a centralised location for information, resources, and support during times of public health emergencies.
The centre will be staffed by experienced healthcare professionals and equipped with state-of-the-art technology and resources.
It is expected to serve as a hub for public health education, outreach, and response efforts during outbreaks of infectious diseases.
It will reportedly provide real-time information and updates on current epidemics, as well as offer resources and support for those who have been affected.
The IIPH-H is one of five institutions established by the Public Health Foundation of (PHFI) across the country, to strengthen health systems for better planning and performance and also align multi-sectoral policies and programmes to public health objectives.
It is engaged in on-campus and off-campus degree and diploma programmes of multidisciplinary education, customised training aligned to national health programmes, health systems and implementation research, technical support to state and national governments as well as community health engagement. IIPH-H is guided by a board chaired by Srini Raju.
Delighted to welcome @SerumInstIndis (largest vaccine mfg Co) to the vaccine capital of world – #Hyderabad through establishment of Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla COE in Infectious Diseases & Pandemic Preparedness at #IIPH 👍 pic.twitter.com/U9jLIjgtxf
— KTR (@KTRBRS) February 19, 2023
Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd is now the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by the number of doses produced and sold globally (more than 1.5 billion doses) which includes Polio vaccine, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hib, BCG, r-Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella as well as Pneumococcal and Covid-19 vaccines.
Vaccines manufactured by the SII are accredited by the World Health Organisation, Geneva and are being used in around 170 countries across the globe in their national immunization programs, saving millions of lives throughout the world.
While the discussion for this centre started at IT Minister KT Rama Rao’s meeting with SII CEO Adar Poonawalla during the World Economic Forum in Davos in May 2022 and the announcement was made after the minister’s virtual meeting with Adar Poonawalla on Sunday, 19 February.
Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of the Industries and Commerce Department, and Shakthi M Nagappan, Director of Lifesciences, Government of Telangana, were also present during the meeting.
“The opening of this Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness marks a significant step forward in our efforts to protect the health and well-being of our community. By centralizing our resources and expertise, we can ensure a quick and effective response to any public health emergency. Through this investment, I am delighted to welcome Serum Institute of India, the largest vaccine manufacturer, to the city of Hyderabad, which is regarded as the world’s vaccine capital,” KTR said.
SII CEO Adar C Poonawalla said, “The Dr Cyrus Poonawalla Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness will offer a variety of services, including public health education and outreach monitoring and tracking of infectious diseases.”
He added: “Coordination of response efforts with local healthcare providers Provision of information and support for individuals and families affected by epidemic Telangana is dedicated to providing its residents with a high quality of life and a bright future.”
Prof. Srinath Reddy from IIPH-H said, “The Dr Cyrus Poonawalla Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness will help to strengthen India’s capacity to anticipate, avert and attenuate pandemic threats through improved prevention, prediction, preparation and prompt response. Other infectious diseases of concern too will be addressed through a public health-guided multi-sectoral response. PHFI welcomes this initiative that will place IIPH-Hyderabad at the frontline of infectious disease prevention and control.”
