Hepatitis-B vaccine shortage, August stock yet to arrive -Pune

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hepatitisb-vaccine-shortage-august-stock-yet-t\

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Hepatitis-B vaccine shortage, August stock yet to arrive

Anuradha Mascarenhas: Pune Municipal Corporation, Dr V M Kulkarni, Dr Sunil Tore

Posted: Sun Aug 14 2011, 04:34 hrs Pune:

Anuradha Mascarenhas Tags : Pune Municipal Corporation, Dr V M Kulkarni,

Hepatitis-B vaccine, Dr Sunil Tore Posted: Sun Aug 14 2011, 04:34 hrs Pune:

Anuradha Mascarenhas Tags : Pune Municipal Corporation, Dr V M Kulkarni,

Hepatitis-B vaccine, Dr Sunil Tore Posted: Sun Aug 14 2011, 04:34 hrs Pune:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hepatitisb-vaccine-shortage-august-stock-yet-t\

o-arrive/831773/There has been a shortage of Hepatitis B vaccine in Pune for the

last four months now and the stock assured for August is yet to arrive. Every

month, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) dispensaries and hospitals need at least

17,000 to 18,000 doses of vaccine.

State immunisation officer Dr V M Kulkarni said the health department had not

been receiving vaccine supplies since April. “We had a stock of 98,000 doses and

on July 26 we received an assurance from the supplier, a Hyderabad company, for

32 lakh doses of vaccine from August till December. The supply has yet to be

received and we have been contacting the company for their response,” says

Kulkarni.

Company officials have told the state immunisation department that batches of

the vaccines were being cleared by the government laboratory at Kasauli in

Hyderabad. On Saturday, in a meeting, district officials of the immunization

department also said their areas were reeling under vaccine shortage.

Dr Sunil Tore, immunization officer at PMC, said that Hepatitis B vaccine has

been included in the national immunization schedule. It enables the body to

produce antibodies against Hepatitis B. The course consists of three doses:

First dose at an elected date, second dose once the infant is a month old and

third at six months after the first dose.

“For the past four months we have been unable to give the vaccine along with BCG

and OPV vaccines at our 42 dispensaries and major hospitals run by the PMC

including Kamala Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi hospitals,” says Tore. “We have

requested for the stock of vaccines but have been told there is no supply from

the government.”

Dr Sharad Agharkhedkar, former president of the city unit of the Indian Medical

Association (IMA) said that private practitioners did not face much of a problem

as they could purchase vaccines from chemists. It is an important vaccine in the

immunization schedule as a baby, if born to a chronically infected mother, has

70-90 per cent chance of being infected at birth.

When contacted, Government of India immunization officials assured that there

was no shortage of vaccine but they had problems pertaining to procurement of

the vaccine. Orders have been placed and we are waiting for the supply, the

officials said.

[Guest guest]

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hepatitisb-vaccine-shortage-august-stock-yet-t\

o-arrive/831773/

Hepatitis-B vaccine shortage, August stock yet to arrive

Anuradha Mascarenhas: Pune Municipal Corporation, Dr V M Kulkarni, Dr Sunil Tore

Posted: Sun Aug 14 2011, 04:34 hrs Pune:

Anuradha Mascarenhas Tags : Pune Municipal Corporation, Dr V M Kulkarni,

Hepatitis-B vaccine, Dr Sunil Tore Posted: Sun Aug 14 2011, 04:34 hrs Pune:

Anuradha Mascarenhas Tags : Pune Municipal Corporation, Dr V M Kulkarni,

Hepatitis-B vaccine, Dr Sunil Tore Posted: Sun Aug 14 2011, 04:34 hrs Pune:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hepatitisb-vaccine-shortage-august-stock-yet-t\

o-arrive/831773/There has been a shortage of Hepatitis B vaccine in Pune for the

last four months now and the stock assured for August is yet to arrive. Every

month, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) dispensaries and hospitals need at least

17,000 to 18,000 doses of vaccine.

State immunisation officer Dr V M Kulkarni said the health department had not

been receiving vaccine supplies since April. “We had a stock of 98,000 doses and

on July 26 we received an assurance from the supplier, a Hyderabad company, for

32 lakh doses of vaccine from August till December. The supply has yet to be

received and we have been contacting the company for their response,” says

Kulkarni.

Company officials have told the state immunisation department that batches of

the vaccines were being cleared by the government laboratory at Kasauli in

Hyderabad. On Saturday, in a meeting, district officials of the immunization

department also said their areas were reeling under vaccine shortage.

Dr Sunil Tore, immunization officer at PMC, said that Hepatitis B vaccine has

been included in the national immunization schedule. It enables the body to

produce antibodies against Hepatitis B. The course consists of three doses:

First dose at an elected date, second dose once the infant is a month old and

third at six months after the first dose.

“For the past four months we have been unable to give the vaccine along with BCG

and OPV vaccines at our 42 dispensaries and major hospitals run by the PMC

including Kamala Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi hospitals,” says Tore. “We have

requested for the stock of vaccines but have been told there is no supply from

the government.”

Dr Sharad Agharkhedkar, former president of the city unit of the Indian Medical

Association (IMA) said that private practitioners did not face much of a problem

as they could purchase vaccines from chemists. It is an important vaccine in the

immunization schedule as a baby, if born to a chronically infected mother, has

70-90 per cent chance of being infected at birth.

When contacted, Government of India immunization officials assured that there

was no shortage of vaccine but they had problems pertaining to procurement of

the vaccine. Orders have been placed and we are waiting for the supply, the

officials said.