India’s health ministry is accused of damaging vaccine production

The Ministry of Health in India has undermined the country’s century old legacy of public sector vaccine production, exacerbated vaccine shortages, and jeopardised the immunisation programme, say several healthcare organisations in a complaint to the Indian Supreme Court.

A petition filed last week wants the court to revoke an order by the health ministry last year that had suspended production of vaccines at three government vaccine manufacturing plants. The ministry had said that the plants did not meet standards of good manufacturing practice.

The Central Research Institute, in Kasauli, in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, the Pasteur Institute of India, in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, and the Vaccine …