Will raise stalled yellow fever drug yield issue: MP

SHIMLA: As the Kasauli-based Central Research Institute (CRI), lone producer of yellow fever vaccine, has failed to produce even a single drug in the past two years, BJP MP from Shimla has decided to raise the issue in Parliament. The issue would be taken to Centre to seek an explanation from CRI authorities for their failure to repair the fault and forcing the government to import the vaccine resulting into loss of foreign currency, he said.
Since 1960, CRI Kasauli is the only manufacturer of yellow fever vaccine in southeast Asia, with an annual production of around 60,000 vaccines. Yellow fever drugs produced at Kasauli were being supplied to all 17 international airports of India. Since the machine developed a fault, Union government was forced to import it from other countries through WHO. Apart from India, the vaccines are being manufactured by countries like China, Europe and US.
BJP MP from Shimla Virender Kashyap said that failure to repair the fault is a serious issue. “CRI Kasauli is a prestigious institution of the country and in no case it would be allowed to downgrade its prestige. CRI authorities should tell why they could not start the production,” he added.
Kashyap said that issue would be raised in the ensuing session of the Parliament. “I am going to meet health minister Harsh Vardhan to apprise him about the situation,” he said. Meanwhile, CRI director Dr Sunil Gupta did not answer the phone call.
It was over two years ago when vaccines production was stopped at CRI Kasauli after one of the key parts, called freezer drier, broke down. Freezer drier is used to dry the liquid form of drug. Sources said that delay in repair work halted the production. For the past many years, the Centre is forced to import the yellow fever vaccines as its domestic production could not take place due to varied reasons. Between January 15, 2008 to February 2010, production remained suspended as the licence was suspended by the health ministry and later, fault in the machine caused more trouble.