Dr Poonawalla has been felicitated with Dean’s medal for his lifelong contribution with this honor, reserved for luminaries demonstrating exceptional leadership in safeguarding, improving public health
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health awarded the Dean’s Medal to Serum Institute of India (SII) Chairman, Dr Cyrus S Poonawalla for his outstanding work in developing and delivering affordable vaccines and contributing to the Indian biosciences industry for decades now. The honor was presented to Dr Poonawalla during the convocation ceremony held on May 21, 2022. Past award winners include social justice advocate Cheryl Dorsey, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Laurie Garrett and former Baltimore Health Commissioner Leana Wen.
Founding the Serum Institute of India (SII) in Pune in 1966, Dr Cyrus Poonawalla’s foresight has helped SII achieve global leadership in terms of production with 4 billion doses annually. SII had partnered early on with UNICEF and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO). Its measles vaccine supply to UNICEF and PAHO between 1990 to 2016 has prevented 22 million deaths.
Gratified with this honor, Dr Poonawalla said, “It is a proud moment for me to receive this prestigious award by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Over the years, our constant endeavor has been to provide high-quality vaccines with regular supplies, which ensure excellent immunisation coverage to children and families worldwide at an affordable, sustainable price points. This award is a motivation for SII to take up bigger challenges ahead and fortifies our objective of inclusive healthcare for all.”