Expressing apprehension over using “substandard and rusted needles provided by the centre” to implement the vaccination programme in Tamil Nadu, State health minister M. R. K. Panneerselvam urged union health and family welfare minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss to take immediate action to supply “good quality syringes at once.” “If such syringes are used, the immunisation programme would collapse and again there would be adverse reactions,” he said adding following the death of four children due to measles vaccine in the state; the state government has modified the immunisation programme to set right the situation. “Now the immunisation is being done at hospitals and select outreach centres under medical supervision,” Mr Panneerselvam said.
In a letter addressed to Dr. Anbumani on Thursday, Mr Panneerselvam said the use of AD syringes have been completely stopped in the state.
Seeking fresh supplies of quality needles, the minister cautioned the centre to take steps “to issue suitable instructions to all the states on the use of AD syringes as the same would have been supplied by the centre to all other states.” In the copy of the letter, which was made available here, he said the centre had supplied auto disable (AD) syringes in December 2007 and they were substandard.
Some of them were rested and could be used to administer vaccine.
Citing a report already submitted by the state health secretary to the centre, Mr Panneerselvam said dust was found accumulated inside the syringes.
In his report dated May 9, V. K. Subburaj, state health secretary said the AD syringes provided by the centre were supplied to all the districts in the state. In Tiruchi, needles containing the batch no. (1) 0612048 bearing the expiry date: November 2011, (manufacturer: BD Solo Shot) were found defective and some rusted.
A total of 102 such defective AD syringes were found in Tiruchi district.