Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the first indigenously developed and manufactured rotavirus vaccine on Monday here. Every year, diarrhoea caused by rotavirus results in up to 10 lakh hospitalisations and kills nearly 80,000 children under the age of 5.

The three-dose ROTAVAC vaccine, developed through a collaboration between India and the United States, is expected to help bring about a significant reduction in the 100,000 infant deaths caused by the rotavirus diarrhoea in India.

Mr. Modi hoped the vaccine would inspire higher levels of research, development and manufacturing in India, in not just medical science but also in other advanced areas of science and technology. He highlighted the vaccine as a successful example of collaboration between India and the U.S. in the area of medical research for the benefit of ordinary citizens.

“We have realised a dream by bringing out the first Made in India Molecule. We have also maintained our pledge to offer ROTAVAC for $1 to governments in low-income countries,” said Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech, which contributed towards product development and testing. A vaccine innovated in India, developed in India and to be made in India, would be a big boost to the “Make in India” initiative, said Dr. Ella.

The vaccine has been developed under an innovative public-private partnership model. It involved a partnership between the Ministry of Science and Technology, institutions of the U.S. government, various government institutions and NGOs in India, and has been supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a government statement said.

Harry Greenberg, Associate Dean at Stanford University, termed the project a “beautiful example of the great power of team science.”