The Hindu : National : Vaccine: China urged to supply raw material

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 17, 2005

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Vaccine: China urged to supply raw material

New Delhi: India and China are poised to sign a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the health sector and New Delhi has urged Beijing to supply raw material for Tamiflu vaccine to combat bird flu.

This was decided during talks between Minister for Health and Family Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss and his Chinese counterpart and other authorities in Beijing. Mr. Ramadoss has asked the Indian Ambassador in Beijing to follow up and complete the formalities for the signing of the MoU.

One of the most important outcomes of the visit is the likely supply of raw material for manufacturing Tamiflu Vaccine to combat bird flu which has spread to many Asian countries and is likely to strike the South Asian region, including India, in the foreseeable future. Mr. Ramadoss urged Chinese Health Minister Gao Qiang to help facilitate the supply of the raw material on a cost-effective basis, an official release said here on Wednesday.

During his meeting with the Chinese Minister for National Population and Family Planning Commission, Zhang Weiquing, Mr. Ramadoss explored the possibilities of cooperation between the two sides in population control and reproductive health-care programmes.

This includes supply of contraceptive and other commodities connected with reproduction and health-care.

During the wide-ranging discussions with the Chinese leaders, a tie-up between the two countries in the medico-commercial sector was also considered. — UNI

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