Explained: What is India’s first indigenously created vaccine against pneumococcal disease? Pneumococcal disease is a significant contributor under-five mortality rate worldwide. Updated: January 1, 2021 12:44:47 pm The vaccine, Pneumosil, will be available shortly. (Serum Institute of India) Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) unveiled India’s first indigenously developed pneumococcal vaccine on Monday. The world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by doses, SII is also the maker of Covishield, the Indian version of the AstraZeneca-Oxford coronavirus vaccine. SII’s pneumococcal vaccine, Pneumosil, was developed through a collaboration spanning over a decade with the health organisation PATH and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The vaccine was launched by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan. “This is a significant milestone for the country’s public healthcare which will ensure that children are protected better against pneumococcal disease with an effective vaccine,” Dr Harsh Vardhan said at the virtual launch function. He said the Serum Institute’s vaccines are used in 170 countries and every third child in the world is immunised with one of its vaccines.