Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Pune, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad on Saturday to review coronavirus vaccine development work at facilities there, the Prime Minister's Office said.
"Tomorrow, PM @narendramodi will embark on a 3 city visit to personally review the vaccine development & manufacturing process. He will visit the Zydus Biotech Park in Ahmedabad, Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad & Serum Institute of India in Pune," the PMO tweeted.
"As India enters a decisive phase of the fight against COVID-19, PM @narendramodis visit to these facilities & discussions with the scientists will help him get a first hand perspective of the preparations, challenges & roadmap in Indias endeavour to vaccinate its citizens," the PMO added.
Modi will visit pharma major Zydus Cadila's plant to get information about its vaccine development, Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said.
The prime minister will reach the plant, located in the Changodar industrial area, over 20 km from Ahmedabad, around 9.30 am, an official said.
Zydus Cadila had announced that the phase-I clinical trial of its vaccine candidate ZyCoV-D was over and it has commenced phase-II clinical trials from August.
Modi will then proceed to Pune, where he will visit the Serum Institute of India, which has partnered with global pharma giant AstraZeneca and the Oxford University for the vaccine, a senior official said.
The prime minister will reach Pune around 12.30 pm, he said.
Modi's visit is aimed at reviewing the status of the vaccine candidate for coronavirus infection and to know about its launch, production and distribution mechanism, he said.
The prime minister will then fly to Hyderabad where he is scheduled to visit vaccine maker Bharat Biotech's facility, an official said.
Modi will land at Hakimpet Air Force station and go to Bharat Biotech's facility at Genome Valley around 50 km from Hyderabad. Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is undergoing phase-3 trials.
The PM will fly back to Delhi in the evening after his hour-long visit to the facility, the official said.
