(a) whether the Government is aware of severe scarcity of yellow fever vaccine in the country; and
(b) if so, the steps taken to remove its shortage in the Government hospitals?
(a) whether the Government is aware of severe scarcity of yellow fever vaccine in the country; and
(b) if so, the steps taken to remove its shortage in the Government hospitals?
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS)
(a)&(b): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 109 FOR 8TH DECEMBER, 2004
The annual requirement of Yellow Fever Vaccine in the country is 50,000 doses approximately. As far as indigenous production is concerned, Yellow Fever Vaccine is produced in the country only at Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasuali. The maximum annual production of this vaccine at CRI, Kasuali, for the past three years has been about 18,000 doses per year. The production of Yellow Fever Vaccine at CRI, Kasuali, therefore, has not been adequate to meet the annual requirements of the country. As a result, the vaccine is being procured from outside through World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure that there is no shortage of this vaccine in the country. From 2001-02 to 2003-04, each year almost 50,000 doses have been procured through WHO in addition to the indigenous production of vaccine at CRI, Kasuali.
In the year 2004-05, against a total of 50,000 doses, which is being procured through WHO, 15,000 doses of vaccine have already been received. The above procurement along with the indigenous production in CRI, Kasuali, should be adequate to meet normal annual requirement.