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After Ebola outbreak, Pune-based SII activates emergency response framework with Oxford, CEPI

Vaccines manufactured by SII are accredited by the World Health Organisation, Geneva and used in around 170 countries across the world in their national immunisation programmes.

3 min readPuneMay 20, 2026 09:23 PM IST

After Ebola outbreak, Pune-based SII activates emergency response framework with Oxford, CEPI

Vaccines manufactured by SII are accredited by the World Health Organisation, Geneva and used in around 170 countries across the world. (File Photo)

At Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by the number of doses produced and sold globally (more than 1.5 million doses), an emergency response framework has been activated in partnership with University of Oxford and Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) following the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak.

“The moment we received word of the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, we activated our emergency response framework in partnership with the University of Oxford and CEPI. Oxford’s master viral seed will allow us to rapidly inoculate our cell bank and begin producing vaccine doses in record time. We are looking at a 20 to 30 day window,” an SII spokesperson said.

Also Read | WHO concerned about speed and spread of Ebola: How prepared is India at airports?

SII is expecting the Bundibugyo strain within a week. According to the SII spokesperson they have always believed that “our manufacturing capabilities exist not just for commerce, but for global health security. “This is exactly the kind of agility India’s biopharmaceutical sector brings to the world. The ChAdOx1 vector platform is well understood by our teams and we are fully prepared to scale,” an SII spokesperson said.

Vaccines manufactured by SII are accredited by the World Health Organisation, Geneva and used in around 170 countries across the world in their national immunisation programmes. At a virtual media briefing on the Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda, WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday that beyond the confirmed cases, there were almost 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths.

Should India be worried?

It is important for healthcare facilities to be aware of the evolving situation elsewhere and be prepared to diagnose, isolate and treat any cases that occur, according to Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, top expert and convenor of the research cell of Kerala, Indian Medical Association. “A disease such as Ebola requires close contact to spread, as can occur in some healthcare or household settings. It does not spread quickly through the air like Covid-19 or Influenza and there is no need for the general public to be anxious,” Dr Jayadevan said.

Viruses such as those causing Rabies, Nipah and Ebola are zoonotic in nature — which means they jump from animals to man through close interactions. “Ebola virus naturally circulates in bats, monkeys and apes. It jumps to man typically following hunting and slaughtering bushmeat from African forests. It can spread from human to human through close contact,” he said.

The current outbreak is caused by a less common type of Ebola virus called the Bundibugyo virus that’s harder to test and prevent than the more familiar Zaire virus.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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