SII CEO Adar Poonawalla Runs Away to London
Adar Poonawalla, head of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII), has complained of receiving threats from politicians and “powerful men”.
Adar Poonawalla, head of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII). India is yet to vaccinate a large majority of its population, and vaccines are in short supply. Poonawalla is having a tough time balancing vaccine supply to foreign countries and India in the past two months. Last week the Indian government had provided Poonawalla with a ‘Y’ Security Cover. CRPF Commandos were going to guard him 24x7. The government decided to give him security because he was getting a lot of threats from threats related to vaccines. Now Poonawalla has left India and gone to London, United Kingdom to be with his wife and children.
In an interview to a London newspaper, Adar Poonawalla said:
“I have been receiving threats from politicians, chief ministers, heads of companies and some of the most powerful men in India demanding instant delivery of the COVISHIELD vaccine. People have become desperate & aggressive for the vaccine. Everyone wants to be the first to receive the vaccine. If I say no some other group of people are important and they should be first, people are not ready to accept it.
They are saying if you don’t give us the vaccine it’s not going to be good. It’s not foul language. It’s the tone. It’s the implication of what they might do if I don’t comply. People are coming over to our vaccine factory and basically surrounding the place and not letting us do anything unless we give in to their demands to supply vaccines. I will return to India soon but for now I am staying here for sometime because I don’t want to go back and face the situation in India. I don’t want to constantly be afraid of what some people might do if I refuse them the vaccine.”
When asked who must carry the blame for the situation in India, Poonawalla said: “If I give you the right answer, or any answer, my head would be chopped off. I can’t comment on the elections or Kumbh Mela. It’s too sensitive.” Poonawalla has also hinted that he may start a new vaccine factory in other foreign countries, one of which might be the UK. He said an announcement will be made soon.
