No DPT vaccine in UP hospitals, health centres since June

First, Uttar Pradesh is one of the few states, which despite the successful countrywide anti-polio drive, has recorded cases of polio, mostl...

First, Uttar Pradesh is one of the few states, which despite the successful countrywide anti-polio drive, has recorded cases of polio, mostly owing to the public’s resistance in getting the polio drops administered. Now, even more shocking is the fact that for the last two months, DPT vaccines have been out of stock in government hospitals and health centres.

The vaccine for Diptheria, Partussis (whooping cough) and Tetanus is normally given to newborns. But now, only those who can afford private clinics, which charge between Rs 50-Rs 200, can get them.

None of the government hospitals in the state have the DPT vaccine. Some, like the Jhalkari Bai Women’s Hospital in Lucknow, have put up notices outside their vaccination units stating that the ‘‘DPT vaccine is not available’’. On an average, 300 children are born every month in this hospital alone. According to government figures, 56 lakh babies are born in UP every year.

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On the city’s outskirts, the Community Health Centres (CHCs) are verbally informing the parents. ‘‘We are forced to send back all the parents who are coming to get their infants vaccinated for DPT,’’ confirmed Hari Prasad, superintendent of the Gosaiganj CHC.

Pointing out the risk factor, Dr P.K. Tandon, a paediatrician, said: ‘‘If children do not get this vaccine in a mass scale, it increases the possibility of epidemics. The possibility of an increase in the incidence of diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus cannot be denied as well.’’

He said the first DPT dose is given when the child is one-and-half-months old, the second at two-and-half months and the third at three-and-half months.

While the crisis is being felt by all the women’s hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres which organise vaccination on every Wednesday and Saturday, the officials are yet to wake up to the urgency.In fact, Family Welfare Minister Ahmad Hasan was not even aware of the scarcity. And his officials did not fare any better.

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Speaking to The Indian Express, Assistant Director (Immunisation) Manju Singh said she was not informed about the situation as she was busy with a workshop on cervical cancer. Additional Director (Universal Immunisation Programme) A. K. Pandey simply passed the buck, stating that any information in this regard could be obtained from the Centre, which supplies the vaccine.

Director General, Family Welfare, L.B. Prasad, said only he was authorised to speak on the matter and relegated the job to Pawan Kumar, the cold chain officer. Interestingly, officials claimed that fresh vaccine stocks had arrived today, and would be made available in a week or so.

However, nobody could explain the shortage. Kumar just said: ‘‘Government of India provides year-round allotment of the vaccine on a quarterly basis.’’