The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has samples of an anti-malarial chemical ready, but no place to get them tested.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has samples of an anti-malarial chemical ready, but no place to get them tested.
Even after repeated pleas, none of the government laboratories in the country are ready to test the effectiveness of the chemical. The Haffkine Institute for Training, Research and Testing in Parel, National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune and National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Delhi, declined the job of testing the chemical.
To curb malaria cases in the city, the BMC received new samples of a chemical from various companies two months ago. However, it is still hunting for certification from a government laboratory to issue the purchase order.
“The tender for any drug or chemical cannot be issued until an authorised laboratory gives it certification. We have been running behind these laboratories to get the samples tested, but they have expressed their inability due to lack of manpower,” said Dr Arun Bamne, chief insecticide officer.
The BMC first approached the Haffkine institute for testing. “The institute stated that the researchers had been shifted to another location and the chemical lab testing unit was shut,” said Dr Bamne. The civic body also approached NIV and NIMR, but to no avail. In their reply to the BMC, NIV claimed they are incapable of performing the tests.
The chemical in question is bacillus thuringiensis variety israelensis (BTI). BTI is purported to be the most effective bacterial toxin which first attracts mosquitos, then infects and kills them. “This chemical is the most effective and suitable at high-risk zones like construction sites and slum areas. The effect of one spray of the chemical lasts over a month. We need this chemical urgently,” he added.
“Left with no option, we approached Haffkine again. They’ve finally agreed to carry out the tests but have demanded a bomb for it,” a senior official revealed. The Haffkine institute is reportedly demanding Rs1.60lakh to test the chemical. The institute has earlier charged Rs40,000 for the same kind of test.
“We have taken up the issue with the secretary of medical education and drugs. The issue with Haffkine will soon be sorted out,” said Manisha Mhaiskar, additional municipal commissioner (health). The civic body now is also relying on the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) in Delhi to concede to testing BTI.
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