Joe C Mathew / New Delhi September 12, 2008, 0:23 IST An expert committee of the health ministry which looked into reviving three government vaccine units that were closed down has recommended converting two of these units into centres for producing yellow fever vaccine capable of serving global needs. The units were shut down almost a year ago after they failed to comply with good manufacturing practice norms. Though yellow fever affects millions of people in over 40 countries every year, very few private companies take interest in developing vaccines for the disease as most of the endemic regions are economically backward. The committee says that Pasteur Institute of India, Coonoor, and Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli, which are capable of producing yellow fever vaccine, should be allowed to set up state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities that can cater to global demand. Currently, these institutions, along with the BCG laboratory in Chennai, are producing vaccines only for government supplies.