Lending a new dimension to the controversial anti-rabies vaccine issue, the Kerala State Health Director V.K.Rajan said the five samples of Indian Immunological Laboratory's (IIL) Abhayrab vaccine tested at the Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasouli had been detected unusable, and the allegations leveled against him and the State Drug Controller were baseless.
Reacting to the developments, he stated the Finance Department's non-technical wing, which found five officials guilty of causing the state exchequer losses to the tune of one crore rupees, had not considered the technical factors involved in the purchase of vaccines.
The Quilon District Superintendent had reported incidents of allergic reactions caused to many patients administered with Abhyarab vaccine in October, last year. Then the Directorate ordered a 'temporary suspension' of its use in all Government hospitals, and the Drug Controller was asked to file a quality control report on the vaccine.
The DC, through his Drug Inspectors, collected samples and sent it to the Central Drug Testing Laboratory at Kasauli. The Drug Inspector, who collected the sample, had said the drug was not stored at the prescribed temperature in the Quilon Government Hospital.
However, subsequent enquiries by State Store Verification Officer, Additional Director for Health etc. revealed the vaccines were kept at required temperature. Therefore, another four samples kept at prescribed storage temperature (2 to 8 degree C) were collected from four different places and sent for quality assurance tests. Later, the lab gave a report that all the samples were unusable, elaborated the Health Director.
He noted the Central Purchase Committee (CPC) consists of five members, and recommendation for suspension was only for him and the DC. "The CPC consists of Health Director, Medical Education Director, Insurance Medical Services Director, Drugs Controller, Additional Secretary for Finance and Joint Secretary to Store Purchase. Though all the members of the CPC agreed to purchase Rabipur vaccine, the finance department found fault with only two members," said the Health Director.
The decision to purchase Rabipur vaccine from the second lowest tender participant was necessitated due to the delay in getting quality control report and shortage of vaccine in Government hospitals.
The CPC meeting discussed the issue and agreed to buy this essential vaccine as an emergency item. For this, the Government had to pay Rs.34 in addition for each dose, and that is interpreted as losses to the Government. Based on the report from the lab, it was decided to block the payment pending for supply of Abhyarab vaccine, elaborated the Health Director.