The availability of vaccines in the country has been hit due to the withdrawal of license to three manufacturing units in Kasauli, Coonoor and Chennai, admitted the government on Wednesday. However, it assured that in order to overcome the shortage, efforts are being made.

Health Minister A Ramadoss told the Lok Sabha while answering to supplementaries during the Question Hour, “There was shortage of vaccines due to withdrawal of licenses to the three units.”

He informed that since the Central Research Institute, Kasauli; Pasteur Institute of India, Coonoor and BCG Lab, Chennai failed to meet the national standards of good manufacturing processes, the licenses of the three units to manufacture vaccines were withdrawn.

Ramadoss also reported that the units are not closed and employees were being given their salaries. The Centre is also planning to improve and restructure these units, some of which are more than 100 years old.

“Shortage of Diphtheria, Pertusis and Tetanus (DPT) and Diphtheria and Tetanus (DT) has marginally affected the universal immunisation programme to some extent in some states for some time,” said the minister.

He added, “Government has placed supply orders for supply of DPT and DT vaccines as per the annual requirement of vaccine along with the buffer stock for the year 2008-09. The supply of DPT vaccine has been started since September, while manufacturers have begun delivering the DT vaccine from November.”