The health ministry-appointed expert panel will soon visit and look into the possible restructuring of the three public sector vaccine and sera manufacturing units whose manufacturing licences were suspended from January for non-compliance of GMP norms.

The committee of experts headed by DCGI Dr Surinder Singh will pay on-site inspections, probably from next week, to assess the possibilities including revival of the units --- CRI, Kasuli, PII, Coonoor and BCG Vaccine Lab, Chennai -- as per Schedule M norms. Besides taking stock of the existing infrastructure facilities, it would also chalk out plans to impart training to the staff, if the units are to be converted into testing and training laboratories, sources said.

With the WHO willing to extend all assistance to stabilise the vaccine production in India, which meets the 50-60 per cent of global vaccine requirement, the experts committee may also looking into the option of allowing production of certain vaccines or anti-sera in these institutes.

The centre has however, assured that no employee in these units would be retrenched but would be deployed after due training. The assurance was given following a strike by agitated employees at the Central Research Institute, Kasauli. The health ministry intimated to them that the existing laboratory facility would be expanded. Himachal Pradesh government had also taken up the issue with the Centre after the production of production of DPT, yellow fever and typhoid vaccines, anti-rabies serum and anti-snake venom was suspended from January this year.

The members of the expert committee are Dr C Sokhey, advisor- CDSCO, New Delhi, Dr J Deshpande- director-Enterovirus, Research Centre-ICMR, Mumbai, Dr Sunil Gupta, joint director, NICD, New Delhi, Arvind Kukrety, ADC, New Delhi, Dr Anil Chawla, vice president R&D, Panacea Biotech Pvt Ltd, Delhi and Dr Sunil Gairola, director, quality control, Serum Institute, Pune.

The adverse observation from the WHO triggered the series of events leading to the suspension of licences. The Government had asked these units to upgrade them in order to comply with the global standards, failing which it was decided to stop production in these units. Now the government is also planning to depend on private sector to stabilize the vaccine production as the country exports vaccines worth Rs 1,500 crore every year.