Reports anticipated shortage following detection, by the Central Drugs Laboratory, of 16 contaminated batches.

There is no shortage of polio vaccine for routine immunisation, “with the Health Ministry ensuring that we keep a shock-absorber buffer stock for three-four months,” said a senior health official speaking to The Hindu on Saturday.

The statement comes after reports of anticipated shortage following the detection of contamination, by the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) in Kasauli, in 16 batches of polio vaccine manufactured by Bharat Immunological and Biologicals Corporation Limited (Bibcol).

In April, 30,000 vials were found to be substandard after they failed sterility tests. “The vaccine was to be used for the government’s polio eradication programme and given to children under the age of five years,” according to a health expert.

‘Quality important’

Dr. Pradeep Haldar, Deputy Commissioner, Immunisation, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said: “Quality is of prime importance and there is no question of releasing any contaminated vaccine.”

“However, there is also a buffer [stock] that we keep for all vaccines, which allows us to negotiate with any form of shortage, whether caused by late delivery or contamination, etc.”

“If this contamination has happened, it will not have any adverse reaction on the routine immunisation supply chain,” he added.

Other major manufacturers of the bivalent vaccine in India include Bio-Med, Bharat Biotech International and Panacea Biotec. Last September, strains of polio virus Type 2, believed to have been eradicated, were found in vaccines made by Ghaziabad-based Bio-Med, and 1.5 lakh oral polio vials were found contaminated.