(Photo: CGTN)
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged authorities to attach great importance to the case of Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences Ltd., and demanded the authorities publicize investigation progress promptly and respond to the public concerns effectively.
Changchun Changsheng, China's second-largest rabies vaccine manufacturer, was accused of fabricating production and inspection records. There were no reports of injuries due to the rabies vaccine, but the disclosure has sparked outrage on social media, especially among parents who are worrying about fake baby vaccines.
President Xi stressed ensuring medicine safety is the unshirkable responsibility of the committees of Communist Party of China (CPC) and governments at all levels. The health of the people should be put in the first place.
Vaccines made by Changchun Changsheng (Photo: VCG)
The government should take resolute determination to fix the vaccine management system, and protect the interests of the people, and social security and stability, Xi said.
Xi is in Rwanda for a two-day state visit.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday called for an immediate investigation into the scandal and urged severe punishment for the companies and those involved.
Premier Li said the public deserve a clear explanation as a moral line had been crossed, in a statement posted on the government's website.
"We will resolutely crack down on illegal and criminal acts that endanger the safety of peoples’ lives, resolutely punish lawbreakers according to the law, and resolutely and severely criticize dereliction of duty in supervision,” he was quoted as saying.
China's State Council has dispatched a team to investigate the production procedures and sales chains of all vaccines in question. Jilin Food and Drug Administration has ordered Changchun Changsheng to stop production and sales of rabies vaccines and suspended the issuance of all products of the company.
Police in Changchun City, northeast China's Jilin Province, has launched an inspection into the company. The head of the company and four other managers have been taken to the police station for investigation.