JE vaccine supply to UP loses potency

Though stage 2-exposed vaccine can be used for vaccination as its efficacy is reduced slightly, it is a cause for concern since such an exposure at initial stages could lead to stage 3 exposure during transportation. Once the vaccine reaches stage 3 exposure to heat, it becomes ineffective.

Dr Jagdish Chandra, CMO in-charge of the GMSD, told The Indian Express, 8220;It is true that when we inspected the storage on Saturday some of the VVMs had reached stage 2. There seemed to be some problem with the initial supply itself because we have been maintaining the required temperature from 2 degree Celsius to 8 degree. However, it should not be much problem as stage 2 vaccine can be used for vaccination.8221;

Chandra, who has recently taken over the charge, accepted that the vaccine supply to UP had already reached stage 2 at Karnal before the dispatch. 8220;The vaccine dispatched to UP was at stage 2. But again I would say that if proper temperature is maintained during transportation then it would not have deteriorated further,8221; he said.

8220;After the report from UP, one of our officers visited Karnal and found some of the samples in stage 2. Though these can be used for vaccination, there is something wrong somewhere because if the VVM reaches stage 2 of exposure at initial storage then it means that even a slight exposure during transportation can easily make the vaccine ineffective,8221; said Dr Pritu Dhalaria, the JE Programme Manager for Path in India.

The issue came to light when around 4.5 lakh doses of JE vaccine reached UP from GMSD on Thursday. When the VVMs were checked, state health department officials found that majority of them had either turned mauve stage 3 or purple stage 4, both of which cannot be used.

Following this, the officials wrote a letter to the Central Government asking them to change the supply. While UP has already underdone its regular JE vaccination programme, this vaccine was to be used for its routine immunisation programme.

For further investigation into the matter, a team from the Union Health Ministry is expected to arrive in Lucknow on Monday.

JE VACCINATION PROGRAMME

8226;Imported from China, JE vaccine is initially stored at GMSD

8226; From there it is supplied to 24 dsitricts in 10 states 8212; UP, Bihar, Haryana, Kerala, Assam, Karnataka, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh

8226; The programme in majority of the states has been completed

8226; It is going on in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, whereas in Kerala it is supposed to begin on September 17

8226; UP, Bihar and Tamil Nadu are to introduce it under routine immunisation

WHAT IS VVM

8226; Used for the first time on JE vaccine

8226; It is a tiny sticker on vaccine vial that changes its colour from white to purple in four stages when exposed to heat

8226; It is the most effective way of finding whether vaccine8217;s potency has been reduced due to break in the cold-chain