Serum Institute of India (SII) chairman Cyrus Poonawalla has appreciated the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government for cutting the red-tapism in the bureaucracy and credited that for the swiftness with which the company’s Covishield vaccine launched.

He said that he didn’t have to ‘maska polish’, which is appeasing the officers-in-charge, to secure the nod for the company’s breakthrough Covid-19 vaccine.

Poonawalla said that the drug controller answers even after office hours, which is a stark change from the earlier times when vaccine makers even struggled to avail basic facilities such as power, water and permission from bureaucrats.

Whilst receiving the Lokmanya Tilak National Award, the senior Poonawalla recollected, “Transport and communication were also great problems and challenges that were faced by my staff and fellow directors...It was a long journey and a very painful one, which has now become very rewarding.”

“I had to fall at the feet of bureaucrats and drug controllers, etc, to get permission. But I must stress that difficulties, red tape are much reduced now under the Modi government,” he added, as reported by the Hindustan Times.

Serum has been a pioneer in the field of vaccine manufacturing over the years and Covishield too has become the frontline vaccine which is being administered to the majority of Indians inoculated against the Covid-19 virus.

It should be noted that the company has received all kinds of support from the government for Covishield vaccine and the other Covid vaccines that the company is now working on. Adar Poonawalla was also provided Y category security by the Union home ministry after he allegedly received threats for vaccines.