Letters: Unwitting savior

With reference to “How red tape over a dengue vaccine avoided a health crisis” by Abhineet Kumar & Veena Mani (December 5), to think that the World Health Organisation (WHO) — that “final arbiter in matters concerning global health” — goofed up would send shivers up anyone’s spine! The whole world, especially the developing countries, looks up to WHO for endorsement of new medicines, vaccines, national health care practices and disease eradication campaigns. Everyone considers its opinion and comments as the last word in matters concerning universal health. For WHO to have approved a mass vaccine, obviously without adequate testing, is nothing short of sacrilege; something that raises doubts, both about its impartiality as well as ability to pronounce decisions in matters of life and death.

 
Of course, all this does not in any way absolve Sanofi Pasteur, one of the largest and best known manufacturers of pharmaceutical products, from responsibility and the crisis caused in the Philippines. Its negligence has caused untold misery to 730,000 people, mostly children, who were administered the suspect vaccine. They are likely to suffer for no fault on their part, or even any that of their government. That country launched a huge immunisation campaign that hinged on a vaccine from a top manufacturer and carried the stamp of WHO approval. Many children would die. No amount of compensation from Sanofi can make up for the grievous harm done to the unsuspecting people.

 
Only a total ban on Sanofi and summary dismissal of all those concerned with the matter at WHO might meet the demands of social justice. India can only take sadistic and morbid pleasure in having avoided an even bigger disaster because our people sat on the case and the “red tape” kept the files tied shut! Krishan Kalra   Gurugram
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