<span style="color: #222222;">Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today said that the Haffkine Institute should give priority on research as well as development of vaccines for COVID while emphasizing on the production and supply of high-quality health products. He said, the State Government would extend its full support to set up an up-to-date vaccine research centre at Haffkine Institute in the near future.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Haffkine Institute is one of the oldest bio-medical research institutes in the country located at Parel in Mumbai. The State Government is taking efforts to bring the Haffkine Institute to prominence in the near future.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">A review meeting on the Haffkine Institute was held today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He said that the fact that the Haffkine Institute, a major contributor to India's polio eradication programme, has produced more than 280 million vaccines in the last six months is commendable. However, he said, given the current state of affairs, the Haffkine Institute needs to conduct research for the vaccine on COVID and if it succeeds in developing the vaccine, it will be a matter of pride for all.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">A high-level committee headed by Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar has said that Rs 1,100 crore is required for five projects in the next five years for the Haffkine Institute.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Chief Minister said that the State Government will fully support the completion of these five ambitious projects and directed that a detailed plan should be prepared in the next 15 days.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">State Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh said, an independent team would be set up to follow up with the Central Government to secure funding for the Haffkine Institute.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The review meeting was attended by Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh, Minister of State Rajendra Patil-Yadravkar, Director of Haffkine Institute Seema Vyas, Director of Medical Education Saurabh Vijay, Managing Director of Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Dr. Sanjay Rathore and other officials.</span><br />