India, with five other developing countries, has been awarded funds to establish manufacturing capacity for influenza vaccine to make sure the immediate availability if any pandemic breaks out in the country.
According to the United Nations health agency, countries such as India, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam, would receive funds up to $2.5 million from UN. The funds would be provided by the US and Japan.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated further that the US has provided $10 million and Japan $8 million for the transfer of technology.
According to the experts, there is a need to set up production lines in developing nations to produce vaccines for pandemic eruption. It will take three to five years to start producing vaccine in these countries.
Dr David L Heymann, WHO Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases said that this is very important that the global community is working cooperatively to make the equitable access to a vaccine possible in the event of an influenza pandemic.
He said:
Global public health security can be achieved only if developing countries would get necessary assistance to develop the vaccine access capabilities to protect their populations.
The present global influenza vaccine manufacturing capacity is falling short of the capacity actually needed to protect the six billion people of the world if any influenza pandemic breaks out.
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