As the world waits with bated breath for a vaccine to combat Covid-19, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, on Wednesday sought the help of innovators and industry to create a robust Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing and delivery mechanism.

In a message, delivered at the inaugural session of the Global R&D Summit 2020, organised jointly by FICCI and the Department of Science and Technology, Vardhan said research and innovation has become a way of life and their outcomes have been helping a wide of range of industries and communities to develop various solutions such as the latest delivery App to safer cars to breakthrough treatment for illnesses.

“The current pandemic has only reinforced our belief in innovation and research and development. They are not only helping in better disease management but also making our nation resilient and self-reliant,” the Minister said. He cited the example of how industry in the country used the opportunity created by the Covid-19 pandemic to produce five lakh PPE kits per day from scratch.

“As the world raises to find a cure and vaccine for Covid-19, India is looking to be self-reliant in both - vaccine and its mass production. Called as the pharmacy of the world, India has the largest capacity to produce Covid-19 vaccines,” he added.

India, with second-highest coronavirus cases after the US, has at least five vaccine candidates under human trial, of which three candidates are undergoing advanced Phase-2/3 clinical trials to establish safety and efficacy.

Gururaj Deshpande, founder of Tejas Network and many other successful firms, said directed research, by universities to solve specific problems for industry, will not lead to breakthrough innovations.

“We need to find a way so that the industry seeks good thinkers, good innovators and rub shoulders with them to see how their problems can be solved. The Governments on the other hand have to reduce the friction and encourage people to make these connections,” Deshpande said.