Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN) Annual General Meeting commenced in Pune on 20th October. The three-day event is being co-hosted by Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by volume.

Addressing the Meeting, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India, shared, “In line with PM's vision of One Earth One Health, India supplied vaccines to 100 countries and provided drugs to 150 countries during COVID-19. Now, as we go forward, there is an urgent need for strengthening private-public sector partnerships across the vaccine manufacturing value chain.”

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, World Health Organisation (WHO), shared, “In terms of the landscape for the future, there is a huge gap between diseases that are causing morbidity and mortality in countries, and the availability of vaccines – it is not just for childhood vaccinations, but vaccination across the life course. And this is what the immunization agenda 2030 talks about the adult vaccines that must be developed."

The inaugural session saw the presence of many dignitaries such as Sai D Prasad, Board Chair-DCVMN; Dr Cyrus Poonwalla, Chairman, SII; Adar Poonawalla, CEO, SII; Rajinder Suri, CEO-DCVMN; Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, WHO (virtually); Dr Ayoade Alakija, WHO Special Envoy for the ACT–Accelerator; Dr Seth Berkley, CEO, GAVI; Dr Richard Hatchett, CEO, CEPI and many more.

The global event brings together over 400 leaders, researchers and scientists from several global public health organisations, dignitaries from governments and multilateral organisations, and luminaries from vaccine manufacturing industry and research institutes. Key topics include commemoration of unprecedented global collaboration during the pandemic, ‘Global Equity & Timely Access of Vaccines’, and Future Pandemic Preparedness and response.