India has initiated an integrated response against COVID-19 pandemic: Union minister Harsh Vardhan
New Delhi: From the development of indigenous vaccines to novel point-of-care diagnostics, India has initiated an integrated response to overcome the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, Union minister Harsh Vardhan said.
Speaking at the 8th BRICS STI Ministerial Meeting held on Friday, Vardhan said India is also hosting clinical trials for all the major vaccines, and about 20 vaccines are in different stages of development.
Two of them are in the most advanced stage of development. COVAXIN developed through ICMR-Bharat Biotech collaboration and COVISHIELD from the Serum Institute of India. Both are in the Phase-III clinical trial stage, he added.
"India has initiated an integrated response to overcome this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.
"From the development of indigenous vaccines, novel point-of-care diagnostics and therapeutic formulations based on traditional knowledge, to establishing research resources and offering services, Indian R&D entities, both public and private, are working relentlessly to develop effective interventions for combating the pandemic," Vardhan, who holds the charge of Health Ministry as well as the Science and Technology Ministry, said.
Valery Falkov, Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education, Marcos Pontes, Brazilian Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Huang Wei, First Vice Minister of Science and Technology, China, Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, South African Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology and several other dignitaries from member countries participated in the meeting.
Vardhan said more than 100 start-ups have developed innovative products for COVID-19.
He said the government has announced a USD 120 million grant for COVID-19 vaccine research. This is being provided for CovidSuraksha (Mission for protection from Covid) and is to be used purely for research and development in this field, he said.
"The grant does not cover the actual cost of the vaccine and its distribution expenses, which will be made separately as and when the vaccine is available," he said.
Vardhan said India is also hosting clinical trials for all the major vaccine contenders. Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, is conducting trials for the vaccine developed by Oxford University, he said.
"One of our pharma giants, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, will distribute the Russian vaccine in India after conducting final-stage human trials and receiving regulatory approval," the minister said.
Vardhan said India will actively contribute to the implementation of BRICS STI Calendar of Activities 2020-21 and support the continuation of scientific activities under BRICS MOU on Science, Technology, and Innovation.
The BRICS member leaders applauded India for the 'SERB POWER' (Promoting Opportunities For Women in Exploratory Research) scheme launched last month, the Department of Science and Technology said.
"We have recently launched a scheme 'SERB POWER' to encourage and support emerging as well as eminent women researchers to undertake R&D activities in areas of science and engineering. We may think of networking BRICS women scientists through a dedicated platform and mechanism," he added.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
