Odisha Government and NDDB Partner to Establish Anthrax and ENT Vaccine Production Facility

Current Context: The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Odisha government and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for the establishment of a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility for the production of Anthrax and Enterotoxaemia (ENT) vaccines was signed on January 8, 2024 in Berhampur, Odisha.

• The establishment of this unit will make Odisha self-sufficient in the production of Anthrax and Enterotoxaemia vaccines.
• In addition to meeting its own requirements, the state will also be able to supply vaccines to other states.
• The project has been taken up as a 5-T Charter initiative to transform the healthcare and disease management of livestock and poultry in the state.
• Currently, the existing satellite unit of OBPI at Berhampur produces 22 lakh doses of Anthrax Spore Vaccine (ASV) and 14 lakh doses of Enterotoxaemia Vaccine (ENTV) annually using conventional methods.

Question:

Q.1 When was the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Odisha government and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) signed?
a. January 1, 2024
b. January 8, 2024
c. December 31, 2023
d. December 25, 2023