With Delhi hospitals reporting more cases of meningitis during the last 10 days, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Aventis, the two major meningitis vaccine manufacturers, are gearing up to face any additional demand that may arise in the coming days. While GSK has already imported 50,000 vials of Mencevax Acwy to meet the sudden surge in demand, Aventis is also readying large quantity of vaccines at their disposal.

Disclosing this at a press conference organised by GSK here, Dr Arvind Taneja, director, Max Healthcare said that vaccine shortage should not be a reason for the spread of the disease. He felt that the doctors should not hesitate to vaccinate the people who are coming forward to secure themselves from the disease.

Even though there is no official confirmation / endorsement on the magnitude of the outbreak / the need for vaccination, a panic situation arising out of conflicting media reports have pushed the sales of meningitis vaccine to a very high level in the region. GSK alone has sold 10,000 vials over the last 10 days. While a single dose of GSK vaccine costs around Rs 900, the cheaper versions begin from Rs 350 per vial. The GSK had also managed a "fast track clearance" from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to import huge quantities of vaccine to meet the increasing demand.

As pharmabiz had reported earlier, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) had confirmed Menigococcal (sero group A) etiology in three out of the eight samples collected from the hospitals in Delhi.

A three-member team of experts headed by professor AK Dutta, Department of Paediatrics of Kalawati Saran Children Hospital had found that a total of 42 clinically suspected cases of Menigococcal disease had been reported since Friday in the national capital. The NICD had also provided prevention and control guidelines to various hospitals.