CHENGALPATTU: Deserted campus, staff shortage, unpaid wages and financial troubles personify the Integrated Vaccine Complex (IVC) in Chengalpattu, near Chennai. The complex, on the contrary, should have been bustling with activity, instilling confidence among health officials at a time when people are scrambling for jabs amid the raging second wave of the pandemic.
No one really quite understands why the IVC, which is spread across a sprawling 100 acres and has the state-of-art vaccine manufacturing machinery capable of producing one billion doses annually, is lying idle and gathering dust for years now. The facility was initially established to produce regular vaccines like Liquid Pentavalent Vaccine (LPV), Hepatitis-B-Vaccine, Haemophilus Influenza Type B, Rabies Vaccine, Japanese Encephalitis E Vaccine, BCG Vaccine and Measles-Rubella Vaccine under the Universal Immunisation Programme of the Government of India.
The New Indian Express visited the facility on Tuesday and there were hardly 40 people in attendance and most of the campus wore a deserted, gloomy look. In its RTI reply last year, HLL Biotech Limited (HBL), which runs the IVC, admitted that it had a sanctioned staff strength of 408, of which 251 posts are vacant. It also said that the facility was yet to start manufacturing vaccines, due to which, it incurred a loss of Rs 96.25 crore between 2013 and 2019.
The financial crunch seems to have only worsened in the last two years. The security personnel and the housekeeping staff, who are on contract, haven’t been paid salaries for months. One of the workers told Express that a whopping eight months’ wages are pending. Most of the core team has migrated to other places in search of better opportunities. A huge animal house, meant to do trials, is lying defunct, sources said.
A former councillor, K Hari, whose house is located opposite to the IVC main gate, said until 2019 about 50 women from Meleripakkam village were working in the IVC but they were abruptly stopped as the contractor was not paid.
"When the project was first conceived there were massive protests from locals fearing it would spread deadly viruses. We had to explain to people and make them aware of the benefits. The facility was established in 2012 and works dragged on till 2018. A dry run was also carried out and we were told vaccine production would commence. It's a shame that such an important facility is lying neglected. These days, only a handful of people work here."
Chennai (North) MP Dr Kalanidhi Veeraswamy, who is also a member of Consultative Committee, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, “I visited the IVC a few days back to get to know the problem first hand. My interaction with the staff revealed that the Centre has not sanctioned Rs 300 crore that is needed to commence production.
The project cost escalated from original Rs 594 crore in 2013 to Rs 904 crore in 2019. The Central government has reportedly not approved the sanction of escalated cost till date saying it is not feasible. Ironically, the Centre and State governments are shelling out hundreds of crores for pre-booking vaccines from private manufacturers. Employees say production can be commenced within three months, if all the clearances are given," the MP said.
To a query, Veeraswamy said: "I do not know whether funding alone is the issue here. I am not an expert. The Central government should answer this question. If funding alone is the problem, Tamil Nadu government is ready to pump-in that additional Rs 300 crore to help run the facility, which is a Project of National Importance."
A senior health official said the issue was raised multiple times with Central officials, but every time, they say, “It is seized at the highest level.”
Experts suspect that there must be some other issues, besides financial crunch, otherwise private players like Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech would have jump-in to use the facility, if it has operational readiness to produce one billion doses annually. "We do not know whether IVC can straight away manufacture Covid-19 vaccines. There can be technology compatibility issues and the facility has to go through WHO GMP (good manufacturing practises) check before commencing the production," an expert said.
Meanwhile, an official of HLL Biotech said a tender has been floated in March valid till May 21, inviting vaccine manufacturers to use the facility. Sources said Bharat Biotech has shown some inclination, but the PR agency, which is in-charge, said the company would not be willing to make any comment.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Union joint secretary Lav Agarwal have not responded to Express’ calls or email.