Johns Hopkins honours Dr Krishna Ella for public health leadership

New Delhi: Dr Krishna Ella, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech, has been awarded the prestigious Dean's medal by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Hyderabad-based pharma company said on Friday. The award was presented to him by Dean Ellen J MacKenzie during the Bloomberg School's Convocation Ceremony held on May 22 in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr Ella received the award for his exceptional leadership, enduring vision and contribution to improving public health, the firm said in a statement.

"John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health acknowledges Dr Ella's pioneering work, remarkable influence, and determination to develop an indigenous, innovative, and safe vaccine focused on global public health," the statement said. This is the school's highest honour, reserved for outstanding public health researchers and practitioners who demonstrate exceptional leadership in safeguarding and improving public health.

“I acknowledge this medal as a global recognition of India’s scientific excellence and dedicate this medal to Bharat, which has shown remarkable success by advancing science and research and development, our exemplary team of scientists, and the results of our strong commitment to public,” Dr Ella was quoted in the statement.

Among many other accomplishments, Dr Ella’s contributions to shaping India’s policies on science, research and innovation have made possible the development of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, including Covaxin -- India’s own COVID-19 vaccine -- which has saved countless lives, the statement said. Under Dr Ella’s guidance, Bharat Biotech manufactured the first indigenous rotavirus vaccine (Rotavac), the first WHO-prequalified Typhoid conjugate vaccine (Tybar TCV) and Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine, JENVAC, it said.

These vaccines were made available to the poorest countries at low cost, saving thousands of lives of the poorest children worldwide, the statement claimed. During the coronavirus pandemic, Bharat Biotech developed Covaxin, indigenous COVID-19 vaccine in a record time, conducting the largest-ever human clinical trials and peer-reviewed by world-leading medical journals, it stated.