Yellow fever vaccines for global flyers go out of stock at KGMU

Lucknow: People from UP and adjoining states coming to King George's Medical University (KGMU) for mandatory vaccination against yellow fever for visiting African and American continents are forced to return without getting the dose because the vaccine is out of stock for the last one week.

The vaccine is out of stock because fresh supplies haven't been received by the university from Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh.

"Actually, Russia and Brazil are its main suppliers. The supply chain from Russia has been hindered due to the Russia-Ukraine war, resulting in a delay of a couple of weeks," said an official preferring anonymity. It is mandatory for people travelling to countries in African and American continents to get themselves vaccinated against yellow fever, which is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes.

The infection caused by this virus is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Central and South America. There is currently no specific antiviral drug and seven out of 10 patients do not survive.

KGMU is the only centre authorized by the Union government for yellow fever vaccination for people of four states - Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand Bihar and Jharkhand - as well as Nepal. Other than KGMU, there are 44 more centres for vaccination in India.

Since vaccination is the only way to contain the virus, it has been made mandatory by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for people travelling to America and Africa. Though due to the crisis in Sudan the number of people going there has declined, many still come to KGMU for a vaccine shot.

A senior official said "The vaccination is done on three days in a week. Nearly 10-12 people come on every vaccination day. About 90 per cent of these people are from UP and the rest 10 per cent are from Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand."

Monika Agrawal, in charge of yellow fever vaccination, said, "We have placed our demand before WHO and hope to get the supply by next week. Officials in Kasauli have informed us that fresh stocks are under testing stage."