Latest


India to scale up its immunisation programmes: Health Minister

  •   Tue, Aug 02 2011 07:16:21 PM

New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS) India will soon begin scaling up its immunisation programmes to reach out to remote regions of the country, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told the World Health Organisation's (WHO) high-level ministerial meeting here Tuesday.

"Vaccination is the most cost-effective public health intervention since it provides direct and effective protection against preventable morbidity and mortality. We plan to scale up all initiatives related to immunisation," Azad said at the meet of the health ministers and delegates from nations of southeast Asia region (SEAR).

India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are among the 11 member nations of the SEAR.

According to the health ministry, India runs one of the world's largest immunisation programmes for the around 26 million children born in the country every year.

The meeting comes at a time when the WHO is all set to roll out an intensive immunisation programmes in 2012.

"About 10 million children still do not receive the third dose of DTP (combined vaccine against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus) vaccine in the region. Millions of children have no access to vaccines that are routinely given to children in the industrialised world," said Samlee Plianbangchang, WHO's regional director for South-East Asia.

Basic vaccines in routine immunisation includes four vaccines against six diseases such as BCG (vaccine against childhood tuberculosis), DTP (combined vaccine against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus), OPV (vaccine against polio) and measles vaccines.

The global health body is urging countries in southeast Asia to strengthen their regulatory bodies looking after public health. Measures such as investments on vaccines, introducing technologies, and training health workers to deliver life saving vaccines have also been listed in WHO's programme.

The health ministry now aims at overcoming cultural and geographical barrier to sensitise people on the importance of basic immunisation.

"We have introduced vaccine for Japanese Encephalitis in 111 districts in 15 States having a high disease burden. Hepatitis B vaccine, earlier introduced in 10 States, is now being extended to the entire country," Azad said.
  

Top Stories

Mangaluru: New campus of Trisha College inaugurated at Bangra Kulur

  •   19 hours ago    1

Girija Surgicals’ 2nd store in M'luru to open on Oct 6, get glucometer at special price

  •   20 hours ago   

Comment on this article

  • Jagannath Chatterjee, Bhubaneswar

    Wed, Aug 03 2011

    We are spending sparse resources for vaccines without paying due attention to clean water, sanitation, nutrition, breastfeeding and other public health measures that have reduced disease incidence and mortality in developed countries. Vaccines come with attendant risks which parents are not informed about. In developing countries deaths and damage from vaccines are brushed away as coincidence. This is in stark contrast to developed countries where millions of dollars are paid as compensation to unfortunate victims.

    The epidemic rise in incidence of autism, cancers, diabetes, asthma, allergies and other autoimmune disorders in children should set alarm bells ringing. Today 1 in 6 children suffer from developmental disorders, 1 in 100 suffer from autism spectrum disorders, 54% of children suffer from chronic illnesses and 34% of children and youth suffer from neuro-psychiatric illnesses. It is very clear that we have traded curable acute illnesses with disabling and devastating chronic disorders. The burden of such diseases on poor populations in developing countries cannot be imagined.

    It is high time we revisited the concept of vaccines. We can no longer hide behind the assumption that benefits from vaccines outweigh the risks. We must face the reality that the benefits have been hyped and the risks grossly understated. Ironically according to an online survey, 54% of pediatricians in India are afraid of vaccinating their own children and 88% admit vaccines are not safe.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: India to scale up its immunisation programmes: Health Minister



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.

You might also like