In what is being seen as a loss of face for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), secretariat of the country’s apex immunisation advisory body is being ‘transitioned’ out to the Health Ministry.
The Ministry, however, clarified that it would continue to collaborate with the Gates Foundation on immunisation policy and the National Health Mission.
The move has been welcomed by the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), the economic wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which had lobbied for it.
“For long, the Gates Foundation has been influencing immunisation policies in India. Our contention has been that our government should decide and not foreign agencies. The BMGF has financial ties with several pharmaceutical companies and they serve the interest of these companies when they exert influence,” said Aswin Mahajan, SJM’s national co-convener.
The Health Ministry called moving the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) a ‘planned activity’.
‘No financial link’
In a press release, the Health Ministry stated that the “transitioning of the NTAGI Secretariat to NIHFW was a planned activity and is part of the health system strengthening efforts by the Government. There is no financial link of NTAGI with BMGF or any other organisation as the body consists of independent experts. As far as technical support by ITSU, it is functioning till February 28, 2017 and the project will continue to support the immunisation programme in techno-managerial capacity beyond this date. The contours of this support are being finalised with the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and BMGF.”
The release further stated that it was ‘inaccurate and misleading’ to suggest that all health-related collaboration with the Gates Foundation with the National Health Mission (NHM) has been stopped.
Foundation clarifies
The Foundation maintained that it do not play any role on policy decision making pertaining to immunisation, which is a sole prerogative of the Indian government.
“Upon request from the Health Ministry, the Foundation has provided a grant to PHFI for techno-managerial support through an Immunisation Technical Support Unit. The grant comes to an end this month and we are in advanced stages of discussion with the Ministry on the contours of the next phase of our continued technical support,” a release stated.
