Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : October 6, 2017 7:35 PM IST
It is not new to us that in India we lose infant lives to pneumonia and diarrhoea in large numbers. The saddening part is that these diseases can be prevented through vaccination and many lives can be saved which is claimed by these preventable diseases. In May this year, the government has revised the vaccination schedule for children and prioritized immunization by introducing new vaccines in India s immunization program. One of the changes that we get to see in the new program is that the Government s decision to introduce Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in the list of mandatory vaccination. Today Dr Rajesh Kumar, Dean (Academic), Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh (PGIMER) tells us why it is necessary to make PCV a mandatory vaccination.
This is obvious. Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death among children under five, both globally and here in India. In 2015, about one out of every six under-five deaths was caused by pneumonia. In 2010, pneumonia was responsible for more than 100,000 deaths among Indian children under-five. The recently introduced PCV provides protection against pneumococcus, the leading cause of child pneumonia deaths, helping to prevent many avoidable deaths and illnesses. Although this vaccine was available in private market, it remained out of reach for many children as it was too expensive for parents of the children to afford it. With the launch of PCV, the government aims to provide it free of cost to millions of children across the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In the coming months, it will be expanded to many more states. Here is why experts suggest you should not skip the optional vaccines.
In addition to pneumonia, this vaccine also provides protection from meningitis, sepsis, bronchitis, and middle ear infections other conditions caused by the pneumococcus bacterium. Evidence also suggests that invasive diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant strains of pneumococcus are reduced after PCV introduction [1]. Here is why India needs to make the rotavirus program countrywide.
Over the last few years, India s UIP, the largest program of its kind in the world, has brought about a dramatic reduction in childhood deaths and illnesses, thereby making an enormous contribution to the health of the population. It has aimed to reach every nook and corner of the country so that every child is protected. More than 2 crore newborns and 3 crore pregnant women are being targeted annually through the national program. To improve the immunization coverage in the country to 90% by 2018 through intensive efforts, ensuring all children are vaccinated against preventable diseases, India has also initiated the Mission Indradhanush campaign. In the first three phases of Mission Indradhanush, there has been a 5-7% increase in full immunization coverage. These important steps by the Government will save lives and help give Indian children a healthier future.
India has had many remarkable public health successes, from smallpox eradication to polio elimination. We can and must leverage the learnings and infrastructure built during these efforts with the Government s initiatives and commitments to take this next step. Now is the time to step up our efforts in pursuit of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and healthy future for our children.
References:
[1]Kyaw MH, Lynfield R, Schaffner W, et al. Effect of introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. N Engl J Med 2006; 354(14): 1455-63.
[2] https://mohfw.nic.in/showfile.php?lid=4248
[3] Integrated Child Health & Immunization Survey (INCHIS). https://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=160063
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