தடுப்பு மருந்து ஊழல்: அன்புமணி திணறல்;

மூன்று அரசாங்க மருத்துவ நிறுவனங்களை மூடிவிட்டு அதற்கு பதிலாக எல்லா தடுப்பு மருந்துகளையும் தயாரிக்க நண்பரது நிறுவனத்துக்கு குத்தகை விட்டது தொடர்பாக நடந்துவரும் விவாதத்தில் அன்புமணி எந்த பதிலும் சொல்லாமல் திணறுகிறார்.

அவரை கிடுக்கிப்பிடியாக கேள்வி கேட்டுவருவது பாஜக அல்ல. சிபிஎம் கம்யூனிஸ்டு கட்சி.

இந்த கட்சியின் பிருந்தா காரட் கேட்கும் எந்த கேள்விக்கும் அன்புமணி பதில் சொல்லாமல் காலம் தாழ்த்துகிறார்.

அன்புமணியின் இந்த ஊழலால்தான் தவறான தடுப்பூசிகள் வினியோகம் செய்யப்பட்டு பல குழந்தைகள் இறந்தார்கள் என்றும் குற்றம் சாட்டுகிறார்கள்.


Brinda ticks off Ramadoss, asks uneasy questions
J Gopikrishnan | New Delhi


Vaccine Scam

After CPM's Madurai MP P Mohan levelled serious charges against Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss in the vaccine scam, his party's Politburo member Brinda Karat has questioned the Health Minister's silence on his order to close down vaccine production by three Central PSUs.

When The Pioneer sought her reaction to reports that the decision to stop production at the PSUs was a ploy to help private companies grab the vaccine market, Brinda said, "This is a shocking issue. Let me study it before I react."

But she pointed out that she had written a letter to Ramadoss and raised questions about the logic behind closing down vaccine production at the three PSUs. But the Minister never replied, she said. "Even after a month, I have not received a reply from him. How can he remain silent on such a sensitive issue?" she asked, adding that she will send another letter to Ramadoss.

In her first letter, Brinda requested Ramadoss to take measures for upgrading the vaccine manufacture process at the three PSUs (BCG Vaccine Lab in Chennai, Pasteur Institute of India in Coonoor and Central Research Institute at Kasauli) rather than outrightly closing down the production of vaccines.

Brinda said the decision to close down production by PSUs would ultimately benefit private vaccine companies and multi-national companies waiting to gain a foothold into the national market. Apprehending that the entry of private players will lead to price escalation of vaccines, Brinda said, "These units have been producing 60-70 per cent of the immunisation requirements of the country at affordable costs. Their closure will leave the field open for corporate pharma companies and MNCs to supply vaccines required for the national immunisation programme and public health system. This is surely not in national interest."

Brinda also challenged the Health Ministry's rationale of acting on a WHO report, which stated that the three PSUs were using redundant technology. "It is equally important to note that the quality, potency and safety of the vaccines produced and supplied by these PSUs has never been in question," she pointed out.

Criticising the Health Ministry's action as "hasty", Brinda said the PSUs had trained manpower and had developed indigenous R&D capability that should be the core of any public health programme. "It is therefore inexplicable why the Health Ministry, instead of upgrading these units in a time-bound manner, should take a decision to close them down. Has any feasibility study been done by experts before such a decision was reached?" Brinda asked.

She pointed out that upgradation of the Pasteur Institute of India, Coonoor, had already begun at a cost of Rs 30 crore. "Another Rs 20 crore is required to complete the process in Coonoor. The Kasauli institute will reportedly require another Rs 30 crore. The financial implications are therefore not substantial. Moreover, the units have enough land to permit expansion," she said.

Questioning the Health Ministry proposal to set up a new vaccine park in Chennai, she wondered if the Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL), which was awarded the project at an initial cost of Rs 150 crore, could execute it at all. "Does HLL have the necessary expertise in vaccine production and what is the time-frame for it to produce the vaccines? In the interim, will private companies supply the vaccines? When there are already vaccine-producing units with necessary expertise in the public sector, what is the logic behind such a decision?" Brinda asked Ramadoss.

However, Ramadoss seems to have no answer to the CPM Politburo member's questions, so he has chosen to keep quiet even a month after the queries were made.