The Parliamentary Standing Committee attached to the Union Health Ministry has criticized the Department of AIDS Control for its apathy to the process of setting up a plasma fractionation centre (PFC) which is bogged down in bureaucratic red-tape, though it was to be put on stream by the end of the last five year plan.

“The Committee is dismayed at the manner in which setting up of a Plasma Fractionation Centre is still entangled in paper work. It shows the lackadaisical approach of the Department for setting up Plasma Fractionation Centre. Though, the reply of the Department indicates the progress made so far, the reasons for the delay are not justified,” the panel said.

“In the opinion of the Committee, this is a case of poor planning and implementation strategy on the part of the Department. The Committee, therefore, recommends to the Department to revisit its strategy and set out necessary time-bound corrective measures to achieve the target at the earliest,” according to its latest report.

The panel had some time back also came down heavily on the slow progress on the proposal and wanted the Department to send its reply. The centre, which will have the capacity to fractionate 1.5 lakh litres of plasma per annum collected from all NACO supported blood banks in the country, was one of the activities under the NACP-phase III.

The Rs.250-crore project was supposed to ensure access of plasma derivatives to needy patients at affordable costs. It would also reduce our dependence on imported products saving the foreign exchange.

On its action taken report, the Department informed that Tamil Nadu government had provided the land for establishing the PFC at New Avadi Road, Anna Nagar, Chennai measuring approximately 1.5 acres.

“EOI for the Project Management Consultant selection was published in May 2010. During July 2009 to January 2011 the blood safety work was placed at Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as per decision of Hon’ble HFM which has been transferred to Department of AIDS Control since Jan 2011. In this period NACO convened national and international consultations to arrive at the technology to be used for the PFC plant. As the proposal was prepared with costing of 2007-08 it is likely that the estimated cost will be escalated which may require a fresh EFC approval,” the department said.

“A meeting of the expert group was held on 4th Feb 2011 which short listed five companies amongst the 14 EOIs received as Project Management Consultant (PMC). Request for proposal (RFP) was prepared for onward communication to the selected companies. No company was found to be suitable for the same and the whole process is being reworked. As the country has no expertise in the area of plasma fractionation, the project has been delayed. Further, cartelization of the technology providers in this area is causing concern in identifying the appropriate technical resources. Further, the cost estimation will be revised as there has been an escalation in the price since 2007-08,” the department said.