Summary:
“In compliance with the WHO directives for vaccination programmes, many countries including USA have formed vaccine courts and laws to address vaccine related injuries. The copies of the letter has been marked to district collectors in Aurangabad, Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli, Nanded, Latur, Need and Osmanabad.The letter stated that Jagdale’s demand for a vaccine court was significant for keeping a vigil on the manufacturers of vaccines. However, in India, there is no act for vaccine related reactions or a court that would take up these issues,” stated the letter.“Due to the absence of an act and a dedicated tribunal, many cases go unreported and undocumented which deprives the victims of justice,” Jagdale told TOI.The divisional commissioner has addressed the letter to deputy director of health services in Aurangabad and Latur and the district civil hospital in the city under the public health department of the state government. Aurangabad: Divisional commissioner Purushottam Bhapkar has shot a letter to the state government seeking the latter to set up a vaccine court in the state on the request of homeopathy doctor Vilas Jagdale who brought to attention the lack of identification, reporting and documentation of vaccine related injuries or reactions in India.Expressing delight over the move, deputy director of health services Swapnil Lale said that the demand was valid and would improve the perception of the community towards vaccination programmes of the government.In his letter to the divisional commissioner dated November 30, Jagdale stated that several incidents of reactions and even deaths following vaccination has come to light. Jagdale, who is Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s taluka secretary of Paithan, had also hinted at an agitation if the demand was not considered as the issue was directly related to children’s health.Citing the various vaccine-related incidents that have come to the fore in the last one month, the divisional commissioner has asked the addressees to take necessary steps as per law and forward the issue to concerned officials for establishing a vaccine court.Speaking about the idea of a vaccine court, Lale said, “As it will not include those in the administration, it will be able to independently investigate and make decisions on the punishment to be awarded to the guilty or the compensation that the victims will receive depending on whether it is the fault of the manufacturers or the implementers of the vaccination programme.”.