Vaccinenation:Globallysupportedcompanyisfundingfatal

polioshots
PMinspec
tioncommit
teecondem
nsvaccin
esfundedbytheGlobalAllian
ceforVaccin
ationand
Immuni
sation.
ByShahbazRana
Published:November17,2011

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ISLAMABAD:AgovernmentinquiryhasfoundthatpoliovaccinesforinfantsfundedbytheGlobalAlliance
forVaccinationandImmunisationarecausingdeathsanddisabilitiesinregionalcountriesincluding
Pakistan.
ThestartlingrevelationispartofaninquiryreportpreparedbythePrimeMinistersInspectionCommission(PMIC)onthe
workingoftheExpandedProgrammeonImmunisation(EPI).ThePMIC,headedbyMalikAmjadNoon,hasrecommended
thatPrimeMinisterYousafRazaGilaniimmediatelysuspendtheadministrationofalltypesofvaccinesfundedbytheGAVI.
Thereport,exclusivelyavailabletoTheExpressTribune,alsosuggestedsuspendingthemasspoliocampaign,includingthe
administrationofpentavalentvaccinesamixtureoffivevaccinestocurefivediseasesuntilaninquiryfindsthese
vaccinessafeforchildren.Inviewofthesefindings,themonitoringreportrecommends,thereisaneedtocarryoutdetailed
studyandthatshouldbesubmittedtoparliamenttoseekapprovalfortheEPI.
ThecostoftheexistingfiveyearphaseoftheEPIisRs26billion,includingRs2.4billionfundedbyGAVIforthesupplyof
newandunderusedvaccines.Theprojectwaslaunchedin2010toreducemorbidityandmortalityresultingfromeight
diseasescommontochildren.However,thereportstates,in2010asmanyas5,417casesofthesediseaseswerereported.
ThecommissionalsorecommendedlaunchinganinquirytofindoutfactsleadingtotheagreementwithGAVIwithout
examiningthesafetyofthevaccines.ThereportalsoestablishedthattheGAVIfundedvaccinesarenotonlycausingdeaths
inmanycountriesbutarealsoveryexpensive.
Therehavebeenreportsofdeathsofanumberofchildrenandoccurrenceofothersideeffectssoonafterthevaccinationis
administeredinPakistan,India,SriLanka,BhutanandJapan.
GenevabasedofficialsofGAVI,JeffreyRowlandandDanThomas,werecontactedbyemailbuttheydidnotrespond.
ThereportstatedthatfivedeathshavebeenreportedinJapanthisyearsoonafterthevaccinationwasadministeredwhile
25seriousadversereactions,includingfivedeaths,werereportedinSriLankain2008.Consequently,thevaccinewas
withdrawn.Bhutanalsowithdrewthevaccinesafterthedeathsofchildren.TheAssociationofParentsofDisabledChildren
fromBosniaandHerzegovinafiledcriminalchargesaftertheGAVIfundedvaccinescauseddisabilities.
Thereportstates,Theprocuredvaccinesarenottestedinlaboratoriestoconfirmtheirefficacyandgenuineness.Thisleaves
roomforuseofspuriousandcounterfeitvaccines.
NoonsaidthatthePMICsubmittedthereporttothePrimeMinistersSecretariatinJune.Despitetheurgencyofthematter,
sofarnoactionhasbeentaken,hesaid.
GAVIspartnersincludecertaincountries,theBillandMelindaGatesChildrensVaccineProgramme,International
FederationofPharmaceuticalManufacturersAssociation,RockefellerFoundation,UnitedNationsChildrensFund,World
HealthOrganisationandtheWorldBank,thereportsays.
ThegovernmentofSwitzer
landmayberequestedtoinvestigateGAVIsactivitiestofindoutwhetheritisreallyanonprofit
organisation,asitprofesses.ThereportwantstheproprietyofthepartnershipofWHOandUnicefwithGAVItobe

questionedbeforetheappropriateauthorityoftheUN.
GAVIsupportconstitutes7.8%ofthetotalEPIcostofRs26billion.PakistanwillbespendingRs24.2billionfromitsown
resourcesonthepurchaseofnewandunderusedvaccinesatmuchhighercostascomparedtotheirequivalentvaccines.
Consequently,thewholeamountwillbeflowingbacktothemanufacturerswhohappentobepartnersofGAVI,saysthe
report.
ItisnottheGAVIthathasbeensupportingPakistan.Infact,itisPakistanwhichhasbeenprovidingfinancialassistanceto
GAVIspartnermanufacturers,thereportconcludes.
ThePMIC,whilequotingahealthministryreport,statedthatcostofEPIfrom20032012withthepentavalentvaccinewas
workedoutat$1.1billionandwouldbejust$680.7millionwithoutit.Thecostofpentavalentvaccineisdoublethepriceof
equivalentvaccinesinPakistanand23timeshigherthanitsequivalentvaccinesinIndia,accordingtothehealthministry
report.
ThePMICquizzedtheNationalProgrammeMangeroftheEPI.Accordingtothereport,hedeniedthatGAVIsupportwas
intendedtobenefitmanufacturersofthevaccines.
EditedbyNadirHassan
PublishedinTheExpressTribune,November17th ,2011.

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