In spite of Maharashtra being the epicenter of the swine flu outbreak last year and currently witnessing over 200 infection cases this monsoon, doctors and public health workers in the state are refusing to take the swine flu vaccine.

Doubts over the effectiveness of the vaccine, the mode of administering it, its possible side-effects, and even automatic immunity gained from working with patients so far are some of the several reasons due to which the paramedical staff refuse to take the vaccination.

Dr Pravin Shingare, a member of the technical advisory committee for H1N1 to the state government, said, "The panel had heard four arguments against the vaccine from doctors: that it did not give long-term protection and worked only for about four months; that an intra-nasal would be launched on Monday; that they had developed immunity; and whether the government would be responsible for any side-effects."

The health ministry's latest policy to control the spread of the virus essentially included the inoculation of public health workers against swine flu as they are more susceptible to contracting and spreading the disease.

However, the policy has been hit hard with the vaccine doses sent for the doctors and workers remaining unused for months.

"Doctors are citing side effects seen in one in a million cases. Then there are questions about what use the vaccine would be if the virus changes, as it does in the second wave," says Dr Arun Jamkar, Dean of Sassoon Hospital, and B J Medical College in Pune.

Not even 2000 vaccines used so far
Due to the high casualty rate witnessed last year in Maharashtra and Pune, the central government had placed an order of 1.5 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine in December last year.

The doses, manufactured by French drug maker Sanofi Pasteur, were specifically to be given to the high-risk group of medical practitioners.

Not even 2000 vaccines of the total 34300 French vaccines purchased by the Maharashtra government at the cost of Rs300 per dose have been used in the last six months, claim records.

"Maharashtra's performance is not at all good. They are doctors and are being given preventive treatment. It does not make any sense why they are not taking it," Union Health Secretary K Sujatha Rao told The Indian Express. "We will be taking up the matter with state health officials."

In Pune, only 411 doses of the 2000 available vaccines have been taken so far.