JOIN USGovt cornered in House over swine flu vaccine
The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday came under attack for keeping a huge stock of swine flu vaccine and using the shots.
“Last year, the health ministry purchased 45 million doses of the vaccine and distributed about 6 million doses. The World Health Organisation procured another 4 million doses that were sent to Africa. Still, the ministry is left with 35 million doses of the vaccine,” said CPM MP P Rajeeve in the Rajya Sabha. The Kerala MP posed the question while seeking clarifications from Union Health Minister J P Nadda, who gave a statement on the floor of the House on the status of swine flu outbreak. “Why to keep such a huge stock, if you don't use them,” asked the MP.
“The shelf life of the vaccine is one year. The predominantly circulating influenza virus strains change every season and hence the composition of the trivalent vaccine is changed every year,” an official from the World Health Organisation told Deccan Herald.
Nadda did not explain why the ministry kept such a huge stock of the vaccine in the first place, if it was not to be used.
“Vaccine is recommended only for healthcare workers. The guidelines were sent to the state governments. This decision has been taken after due consultations with experts. Vaccination of general public is not advocated as a public health strategy at this juncture,” Nadda said.
The minister clarified that the influenza vaccines were not 100 per cent effective. But there was no shortage of medicines and swine flu testing facilities were being provided free of cost at specified government hospitals.“There is no shortage of medicines. There is no need to panic, but we have to be alert,” Nadda informed the Rajya Sabha while responding to discussions. Till Monday, there were close to 14,500 H1N1 cases with 833 deaths.
According to a WHO advisory, vaccination is required for pregnant women, younger children, elderly population, people who have some other medical complications and healthcare workers.