Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy on Saturday confirmed that the Centre has rolled out funds from the PM CARES for setting up a vaccine-testing laboratory in Hyderabad.
"I thank Honble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji for sanctioning funds for setting up of Vaccine Testing Lab at Hyderabad. A big step towards comprehensive development of pharma sector in Hyderabad, which will also boost production of COVID-9 vaccines" says Reddy, a Lok Sabha member from Secunderabad, tweeted.
The extensive focus on ramping up vaccine production to take control on the widespread COVID-19 pandemic validates the requirement of more vaccine- testing laboratories in the country, Reddy said in a press release.
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At present, there are two vaccine-testing laboratories in the country -- the Central Drug Laboratory at Kasauli and National Institute of Biologicals at Noida, he said.
Funds have been released from the PM CARES Fund on March 6 for establishing two more such laboratories -- one at National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, and the other at the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, under the Department of Biotechnology, he said.
The laboratory in Hyderabad is expected to commence operations in the next one month, he said.
The setting up of the new laboratory is a big step towards the comprehensive development of the pharma sector in Hyderabad as the city is home to many pharma majors, COVID-19 vaccine production companies and other R & D institutions, he said.
It would also boost the production of COVID-19 vaccines, Reddy said.
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(With PTI Inputs)
