Two years back when the three public sector vaccine units were shut down, it led to a shortage of critical vaccines like BCG, DPT and Anti TB vaccines in India. CNN-IBN has accessed the probe report, which has found Former Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and then health secretary Naresh Dayal guilty.
The report states that the decision was both illegal and flawed and that by stopping the public sector vaccine units, a crippling blow had been delivered to the health sector.
The Central Research Institute in Kasauli, the Pasteur Institute of India in Conoor and BCG Vaccine Laboratory in Guindy were shut down in 2008 citing non-compliance with WHO GMP norms.
The report states the argument that WHO would have de-recognised the National Regulatory Authority had these units not been shut down.
Ramadoss said, “It would have affected exports of Indian pharma products that WHO buys from India for its immunization programmes.”
It is estimated that the loss suffered by this decision was to the tune of Rs 150 crore — but the loss can’t be measured just in terms of money. The cost to public health and the setback to the Government’s Universal Immunization Programme are irreversible. The crucial question remains, will this report be acted upon and the guilty ever be held accountable.