Ms Mahima Datla, MD, Biological E (Photo Courtesy: www.apnnews.com)
Ms Mahima Datla, MD, Biological E, addressing the GAVI Pledging Conference in Berlin, Germany, on January 26, 2015 said that: "As a company, we are deeply committed to improving the quality of human life and make immunization our biggest health priority. However, it's also true that access to immunization still continues to be a challenge."
"We at Biological E will strive to ensure affordability of vaccines is not one of the contributing factors, so that countries can focus on sustainability and on overcoming other obstacles that are coming in the way of reaching that last child. So, today, to further our support to GAVI's mission, I am pleased to announce Biological E's offer of a 5-year price commitment to GAVI graduated countries. This commitment aims to ensure that graduated countries will have access to affordable prices that are comparable to GAVI-eligible ones," she added.
Addressing the conference, Dr Seth Berkley, CEO, GAVI, said, "It is encouraging to see vaccine manufacturers increasingly recognizing the importance of sustainable vaccine markets for developing countries. The commitments made today will help us make more vaccine doses available at a lower cost and will support countries as they move towards financing and sustaining their own immunization programmes. This will lead to more children being protected and more deaths being averted."
Biological E had earlier reduced the price of their Pentavalent vaccine by 30% in order to increase access as an example of a key market shaping collaborative outcome.
The company together with the Gates Foundation, GAVI and UNICEF took the decision to reduce the price of Pentavalent vaccine.
Ms Mahima Datla had mentioned that it was contextual for Biological E to make this reduction in order to improve access of immunization because of the company's late Chairman Mr Vijay Kumar Datla's vision of building a successful business that is also socially responsible and delivers value to shareholders and to the broader communities we live in.
She reiterated Biological E's commitment at the conference further by saying, "We are proud to support GAVIs replenishment effort and with this pledge, we commit to working with GAVI to give donors, country governments and ourselves the opportunity to save more lives. In our own humble capacity, we will continue to play our part in reducing inequities in access to vaccines, particularly in the countries that we together serve."
Ms Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, hosted the pledging conference, which was attended by the several Heads of the States of European Union, GAVI members, CEOs of various vaccine manufacturing companies and other delegates.
