Mansukh Mandaviya unveils 'India's Vaccine Growth Story' at World Book Fair 2023

New Delhi [India], March 4 : Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya released the book 'India's Vaccine Growth Story - From Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri' authored by Additional Secretary, Sajjan Singh at the World Book fair 2023, at Pragati Maidan on Saturday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed in a press release.
As per the Ministry, the book elaborates on India's impressive achievement in developing, producing and distributing COVID-19 vaccines. Rajesh Bhushan, the Union Health Secretary and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the event, Mandaviya praised Prime Minister, Narendra Modi's faith in the Indian scientific community and the stellar healthcare professionals across the country.
He said, "This combination led India to conquer unsurmountable challenges to achieve a feat no country has before, catering not just to its own nation, but supplying life-saving vaccines worldwide, all in due time."
Lauding the unwavering dedication of healthcare professionals, Dr Mandaviya stated that "India administered 2.2 billion doses as a part of the world's largest COVID vaccination drive without any shortages across the nation resulting in saving 3.4 million lives."
The Minister also highlighted that when other countries were struggling with vaccine hesitancy, India set an exemplary pro-vaccination Covid management model.
"It gives me immense pleasure to see research, manufacturing and vaccine drive has been portrayed in a comprehensive fashion that recounts not just the pandemic crisis but also delves into vaccine history, that can be traced 2500 years back," he said.
Urging writers to come to the fore, the Health Minister said, "Research-based documentation is a medium that can bring to light India's heritage, illustrating to the world possibilities and solutions, as India's Covid-19 trajectory has done, leaning on our traditional roots and heritage".
He further elaborated "our heritage reflects our knowledge and science that have stood the test of time, and proven exemplary in times of crisis".
Citing the example of our traditional greeting 'Namaste', which became a global way of greeting through the pandemic crisis, the Health Minister stated that "Our people must search within our heritage, they will find a deep repository of traditions based on scientific processes that have held India in good stead, and widely acknowledged by the world."
The Health Minister encouraged writers to inculcate research-based documentation that would lend a voice to India's treasure of traditions and heritage that lay dormant and forgotten, and bring them to light.
Rajesh Bhushan, the Health Secretary also addressed the event stating that there are 12 kinds of diseases that can be prevented with vaccines known as vaccine-preventable diseases are a part of India's universal vaccination group, and the government of India provides these vaccines free of cost to expecting mothers, young and neonates.
"The book entitled 'India's Vaccine Growth Story- From Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri' presents the world's largest vaccination drive for COVID-19 conducted by India is elaborate. Tough and multifaceted challenges overcome in the process like vaccine hesitancy, eagerness, availability, transportation, equitable access, effective communication and expectation management, cold chain dynamics, and vaccine centres logistics have been explained too. The author has also delved into future challenges that may emerge for vaccinology and new vistas for the growth of the Indian vaccine industry in a candid manner. It also digs deep into India's impressive achievement in developing, producing and distributing COVID-19 vaccines," the Ministry stated.
Lok Ranjan, Additional Secretary, Govind Prasad Sharma, Chairman of National Book Trust and other senior government officials were also present at the event.