Monday, November 18, 2019

Bill Gates honors Dr.Poonawalla with ICMR medal


18/11/2019

PUNE: Dr  Cyrus Poonawalla, founder  and chairman of  Serum Institute of India, was conferred with the prestigious ‘ICMR Lifetime Achievement Medal’ for his outstanding contribution in healthcare, by Bill Gates, Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation at the Headquarters of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi.

Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla has been widely acknowledged for his unparalleled and continuous mission of global immunization and his path defining philanthropic initiatives. In 1966, Dr. Poonawalla embarked on his journey to establish Serum Institute of India. Today, Serum Institute is the world’s largest producer of vaccines by number of doses, producing more than 1.5 billion doses a year of life-saving vaccines used in over 170 countries.

These vaccines used to cure infection from Rabies, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Whooping Cough, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Tuberculosis, Influenza, Meningitis, Rotavirus and Hepatitis B Vaccines among others. Saving the lives of more than 40 million mostly under-privileged children across the globe, Dr Cyrus Poonawalla becomes the face of noble social services.

This is not the first feather in Dr.Poonawalla’s hat. Recently, he was conferred with the prestigious ‘Asian Business Leadership Forum (ABLF) Lifetime Achievement Award’ at Dubai, besides 'Degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa' by the University of Oxford, U.K. at a ceremony in June. 
He was also conferred with the honorary degree of 'Doctor of Humane Letters' by the University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA last year for his outstanding contribution in improving the public health for all communities. 

Also known as a philanthropist, focusing on public causes and undeserved communities, Dr Cyrus Poonawalla earlier this year was felicitated with the first-ever 'Vaccine Hero' Award by GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative). He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2005 for his contribution to medicine, and a life-time achievement by then prime minister Manmohan Singh.


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