India to procure flu vaccine from abroad: Azad

New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Swine flu vaccines would be
procured from international companies to immunise medical and
para-medical staff involved in treating and testing patients
for the disease.

"As of now, in India, we are not expecting the vaccine
to be ready before December-January, so in case any
international company begins manufacturing it before October,
we would buy it and provide the same to our para-medical and
medical staff," Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told
reporters here.

In India, three companies were in the process of
manufacturing the vaccine, out of which one is already
conducting animal trials, he said but added they were not
expected to produce the vaccine before December-January.

"To ensure fast-track production of the vaccines, it
was decided that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
would harmonise animal trials of the vaccines being developed
by these companies," Azad said.

The companies which are producing vaccines in India
are the Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech and Panacea.

The health minister said the WHO has estimated that
worldwide, 30 per cent of people would be afflicted by the
swine flu virus and added that India has managed to contain
the disease which is evident by the number of people affected
as compared to the country's large population. PTI SPC
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