news from the cpi(m)
November 11, 2008
Press Release
The text of the letter addressed to Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss by CPI(M) MP Brinda Karat concerning the shortage of vaccines in various states in the country is being released to the press.
For CPI(M) Central Committee Office
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11th November, 2008
Dear Dr. Anbumani Ramdoss,
Please refer to the discussion in the Rajya Sabha on 21-10-2008 on The Drugs & Cosmetics (Amendment) Bill, when I had specifically mentioned that there is severe shortage of supply of vaccines for the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) in various states including West Bengal. You had assured the House that there were only one or two instances of shortages which are not gross shortages and the issues have been sorted out. ( extracts below )
On further enquiry I have found that the information you had given to the House was not factually correct, the shortage still continues and it concerns a range of vaccines not just "one or two."
The shortages for West Bengal from April till October 27th are as follows:
Vaccines Quantity available Quantity Due Percentage of shortage
TT-PW 3092260 9875240 68.69
BCG 3798900 4339100 12.45
DPT 1533500 13325094 88.49
HEP B 2394000 6583500 63.64
MEASLES 1075750 1916750 43.88
DT 8000 3152750 99.75
In the first week of November an additional 3 lakh doses of DPT was supplied of the 1.33 crore doses of DPT required. Thus the shortage continues to be severe.
But it is not only Bengal which is suffering the shortage. In Tripura, whereas the annual requirement of six antigens is 3.80 lakh doses, till October 31, the total number received is only 1.25 lakh doses, a shortage of 67.11 per cent. Shockingly of the 93,000 doses of DPT required, the State has received not a single dose till October.
In Orissa, the annual requirement of some of the antigens is as follows: DPT: 56.79 lakhs; Quantity provided 11 lakhs Percentage of shortage 80.63 .Measles Total annual requirement 13.63 lakhs; Quantity provided: 4.5 lakhs. Percentage of shortage: 66.98. DT: Not a single dose has been provided
In Kerala the short supply against the total requirement of last seven months (including buffer stock) is BCG 15.31 per cent; DPT 40.53 per cent and DT as high as 88.42 per cent.
Thus it would appear that the UIP is severely compromised because of the failure of the Central Government to provide the required vaccines. It would also appear that the DPT and DT programmes are virtually scrapped at least in these States. I believe that other States are also badly affected. This is a matter of grave concern.
I request you to kindly ensure that the vaccines reach the States according to the requirement without any further delay as the shortages jeopardise the health of infants and children. I would appreciate it if you could kindly furnish me the information of the dispatch of the vaccines as soon as it is done.
Kindly grant immediate permission for production of vaccines in the three public sector vaccine producing units. Clearly the stoppage of production in these units is one of the reasons of the present severe shortage, particularly in DPT and DT.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
BRINDA KARAT
Extracts from speech of Minister in Rajya Sabha
" My colleague has said that that there has been acute shortage of vaccines and all that. All these issues have been sorted out. In fact a delegation had come. About 20 MLAs had come along with their Health Minister. We have sorted out the problem not only for West Bengal but for the entire country. There were not gross shortages as the Hon. Member has said. There were some shortages of one or two things, which have already been sorted out. I don't see there is a problem anywhere in the country currently due to that."
Dr. Anbumani Ramdoss
Hon'ble Minister for Health and FamilyWelfare
Government of India
New Delhi
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