GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 715
TO BE ANSWERED ON 20th MARCH, 2012
National Vaccination Policy

715. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:

            Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

a)      whether Government has put in place the National Vaccination Policy;

b)      if so, the salient features of the policy; and

c)       how will this policy succeed in view of severe shortage of vaccines in the
country?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY)

a)      Yes, Government of India has put in place the National Vaccine Policy.

b)      The policy document addresses broad areas of strengthening the  institutional framework, processes evidence base and framework required for decision making for strengthening universal immunization programmed in India  and to streamline the decision making process on new and 'underutilized vaccines. The policy also addresses the issues of vaccine security, management, regulatory guidelines, vaccine research and development and product development.

c)       There is no shortage of vaccine production capacity in the country for the vaccines required under the immunization programmed in the country. However, the policy encourages vaccine production and Research and Development (R.&D).