New Delhi: Purported continuous and repeated delays in supply of crucial life-saving vaccines by Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech has prompted the Union health ministry to write to the company and enquire into the reasons for it, ThePrint has learnt.
Bharat Biotech also manufactures the indigenous Covid vaccine, Covaxin.
In a letter dated 23 June, the health ministry has highlighted shortfall in supply of three vaccines — JENVAC (a vaccine for Japanese Encephalitis), Hep-B (Hepatitis B vaccine) and RVV-5 (vaccine for rotavirus).
ThePrint has seen a copy of the letter.
Top sources in the health ministry told ThePrint that Bharat Biotech is a major supplier of these vaccines and delay in supplies by the vaccine maker has impacted many immunisation programmes.
“We have received several requests from Uttar Pradesh for the supply of vaccine against rotavirus, for example, where the shots by Bharat Biotech are supplied for immunising newborn babies, under the age of three months,” said a senior official in the ministry who did not wish to be named.
Similarly, added the official, a shortfall in supply of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccine by the company had led to the Japanese Encephalitis Control Programme suffering in many JE-endemic states such as Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
ThePrint reached Bharat Biotech for response over email on the health ministry letter and reason for the supply shortfall, but the company declined comment.
An email to Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan for his response on the matter has also received no response as yet. The article will be updated when a response is received.
There has been little change in supply status, since the letter was sent, sources said.
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‘Constant delays’
In the letter to Bharat Biotech, the government alleged that of 252 lakh doses of JENVAC vaccine that was to have been supplied between September last year and April, only 34.42 lakh doses were received, while 217.58 lakh doses were pending delivery.
The ministry claimed that the company was also to supply an additional 31.6 lakh doses of JENVAC by June, but not a single of those had arrived at the time of the letter being written.
“There are only two suppliers of JE vaccines in India — Biological E and Bharat Biotech and one of them not supplying in time has meant that a large number of intended beneficiaries in affected areas have not received the vaccine in time — which should ideally be administered before the monsoon season every year,” said a second health ministry official speaking on condition of anonymity.
The matter is especially concerning, he said, since the government had taken a conscious decision to stop importing Chinese vaccines for JE from 2018 in order to promote Indian vaccine manufacturers, even though indigenous vaccines often cost more. Ministry sources told ThePrint that while the Chinese vaccine costs the government about Rs. 34 per dose, the Bharat Biotech vaccine comes for Rs. 70 per dose
According to the first official quoted above, after the ministry letter was sent, the company resumed supply with a small quantity of doses — that is used in campaign mode (when a vaccine is given outside routine immunisation) and as part of routine immunisation in endemic districts — but there are more than 30 districts across the country that have not been able to conduct JE campaign due to non-supply of vaccine by Bharat Biotech.
“The delay [in supply] is also leading to stockouts in some states for routine immunisation,” the official added.
The delay in supply of rotavirus vaccine is no less serious, said the second official, since Bharat Biotech is the primary supplier of nearly 60 percent rotavirus vaccines needed in the country every year. Pune-based Serum Institute of India supplies the remaining 40 percent rotavirus vaccine for the universal immunisation programme (UIP).
According to the health ministry letter, the government had placed an order for 292.5 lakh RVV-5 vaccine doses, to be supplied between March and December this year.
Of this, 117.3 lakh vaccine doses were to be supplied by June, but the government has received less than 25 percent — only 27.7 lakh vaccine doses — while 89.6 lakh doses are pending.
“Recently [after the government letter], Bharat Biotech offered 25 lakh doses of its RotaVac vaccine meant for export for in-country supply, but is making no further commitment on the pending supply,” the second official added.
He added: “Considering the upcoming (date yet to be decided) Intensified Mission Indradhanush — which is meant as a catch-up immunisation round — it is expected that the requirement for RotaVac will increase.”
The order status of the Hepatitis B vaccine, given at birth to infants as part of UIP, is similar. Bharat Biotech is one of three suppliers, apart from Biological E and Indian Immunologicals Ltd, for this vaccine in India.
According to the letter, the government had placed an order for 48 lakh doses of Hep-B with Bharat Biotech, to be delivered between March to December this year of which 15.83 lakh vaccine doses were to be supplied by June, but the government has not received a single dose from the company yet.
“You are therefore requested to furnish the reason for delay in supplies along with future plans of JE, Hep-B and Rota vaccines, at the earliest,” said the letter.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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