Production of vaccines under threat
Bharat DOGRA
By now it is well-recognised that Government authorities who come
under the influence of imperialism and big business do not hesitate to
kill their own invaluable institutions.
Several public sector institutions and organisations of great value
have been destroyed in this way, with the willing participation of
international organisations which too are sadly, frequently under the
sway of multinational companies and developed countries. This crime
becomes all the more unpardonable when it takes place in the area of
health, threatening the life of many people particularly children. The
health sector of developing countries like India functions in a
situation of severe fund constraints.
Health care
Even if the demands for significantly increasing the health budget
are met, so immense is the task of providing satisfactory health care to
all that we need maximum efforts to keep costs (particularly costs of
medicines and equipments) low. The tendency of most drug companies to
keep medicine prices high and fleece even poor countries is well-known.
Therefore self-reliance in the production of low-cost medicines and
vaccines is extremely important for these countries. What is more, some
critical areas and certain levels of production of medicines have to be
retained in the public sector, so that the country is capable of meeting
critical and emergency needs as well as retain the ability to keep the
costs of essential medicines within reasonable limits.
Medicines
However what we have seen in recent times is the decline and decay of
public sector units producing medicines while the private sector's
ability to charge high prices which have no relation to costs has never
been so high. The number of medicines under price control has declined
steadily. This did not happen suddenly and did not happen on its own -
deliberate efforts were made by vested interests with the collusion of
important people within the Government to achieve this result.
It is in this framework that the decision of the Government to cancel
the licences of three vaccine-manufacturing public enterprises must be
seen. Although this decision was taken in January 2008, the opposition
to this decision is now increasing with the emerging shortage of
vaccines and the threat this poses to the health of people and
particularly children. The three institutions affected by this decision
are - The 103-year-old Central Research Institute (CRI) in Kasauli; the
100-yearold Pasteur Institute of India (PII) in Coonoor; and the
60-year-old BCG Vaccine Laboratory (BCGVL) in Chennai.
The All-India Drug Action Network (AIDAN), a national network of
organisations that have been working on pharmaceutical policy issues,
issued the following statement, "While there should be no compromise on
the quality of medicines and vaccines produced, the cancellation of the
licenses for the three vaccine-manufacturing public enterprises under
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare smacks of arbitrariness, and a
planned attempt to kill these institutions and clear the way for private
companies to operate in a segment which serves a critical national need
- the production of vaccines for the large Expanded Program of
Immunization. Recent newspaper reports of alleged nexus between the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and a private vaccine
manufacturing company in blatant disregard of the public
responsibilities of their role, use of coercion to effect closure of
vaccine production units with a proven record of safety and quality, and
the comments in the preliminary audit report of the Comptroller &
Auditor General (CAG) point to an unprecedented disregard for public
good."
Responding to the Government claim that these enterprises were
ordered to suspend production for non-compliance with 'Good
Manufacturing Practice' (GMP), this statement by AIDAN asks, "Since the
public enterprises were under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
and had been requesting for assistance to upgrade their facilities since
the past many years, what did the Minister of Health and Family Welfare
do over the past 4 years to ensure their compliance with newer norms?
Further this important statement by AIDAN says, "The entire sequence
of events over the past few years, with allegations of purchase of raw
material for measles vaccines at inflated cost from private companies,
providing them raw material from these 3 units at either free or at
ridiculously low prices, and further agreeing to give 70 per cent of the
profit from vaccine manufacturing to the private company needs an
enquiry at the highest level.
"The harm to public health in India due to this malafide closure of
public sector units is already being seen.
Children
Many states are now facing dangerous shortages of vaccines like DPT
and Tetanus toxoid, which were only to be expected. Shall the Minister
assume the responsibility if any child dies of tetanus or diptheria? The
All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN) calls on the Government to stop
playing games with the health and lives of innocent children and with
the pharmaceutical security of the nation, in its attempts to pave the
way for private enterprise." If we look at the past experience of how
public health enterprises are destroyed to benefit big business, then
generally the following pattern can be seen:
1. Suddenly develop new criteria and norms which will be difficult
for public enterprises to satisfy under existing conditions. Rope in
international 'experts' and institutions to push for these norms.
2. Use Government's powers to deny funds and facilities which would
enable public enterprises to meet these norms.
3. Then use this as an excuse to take action against public health
enterprises, all the time hiding behind so-called public health and
quality concerns.
- Third World Network Features
The writer is an Indian
writer, journalist and activist |
