News Analysis India

Tag: pneumonia

  • Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine expanded nationwide under Centre’s immunisation programme

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday launched the nationwide expansion of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine under the Universal Immunization Programme with an aim to reduce under 5 mortalities caused due to pneumonia.

    Thus far, the PCV vaccine through government hospitals was available only in five states — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

    Two states, Haryana and Goa, on the other hand, were offering the PCV vaccine as part of the UIP from the state government kitties.

    This vaccine is offered in three doses at 1.5 months, 3.5 months and 9 months.

    In India, nearly 8.5 lakh kids under the age of 5 die every year of which 16 % of deaths are estimated to be caused due to various forms of pneumonia and nearly a half of these pneumonia mortalities are related to pneumococcus bacteria. There are, however, some other vaccine-preventable infections too, that lead to pneumonia in kids. 

    While launching the nationwide expansion of the vaccine, Union health minister Mansukh Mandviya said that pneumonia caused by pneumococcus is the most common cause of severe pneumonia in children.

    “In India, around 16% of deaths in children occur due to pneumonia. The nationwide rollout of PCV will reduce child mortality by around 60%”, said the minister.

    Under the Union government’s UIP, 12 types of immunisation are offered free of cost against several vaccine-preventable diseases targeting close to 26.7 million newborns and 29 million pregnant women annually.

    The diseases against which the inoculation is offered include diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, rubella, a severe form of childhood tuberculosis, rotavirus diarrhoea, hepatitis b and meningitis and pneumonia caused by haemophilus influenza type B.

    “Sub-nationally the immunization is available against 2 diseases – pneumococcal pneumonia and Japanese Encephalitis; of which PCV is being nationally expanded today, while JE vaccine is provided only in endemic districts,” said an official.

  • Health Minister launches first indigenous vaccine for pneumonia, prices to be lower than previous vaccines

    You have been hearing about the Kovid-19 vaccine for a long time. When will it reach people, pause it for a while and now know the great news. India has written a sign of success in the case of developing pneumonia vaccine (Pneumosil vaccine). Pune’s Serum Institute of India (CII) has launched India’s first indigenously developed pneumococcal vaccine Pneumosil today. According to the news of IANS, Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan himself was also present on the occasion. The company launched it in his presence. Vaccine manufacturer CII informed today that a completely indigenous vaccine pneumosil has been launched.

    Numosil has been developed over a decade in collaboration between the Serum Institute, PATH and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It is considered an important milestone, which will improve the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine strength and enable sustainable access to lower and middle income countries. This vaccine will provide children with effective and long-lasting protection against pneumococcal diseases (pneumonia).

  • Immediately check the children if they show slight signs of corona infection – UNICEF

    Children also get corona infection even if the percentage is less, compared to adults, but if they become infected, they do not show signs of corona or will have mild fever, phlegm, sore throat but they can be carriers and adults Especially the elderly can be easily infected. Because they have more emotional attachment among themselves. Therefore, treatment of children with less symptoms of corona should not be delayed. UNICEF health expert Dr. Sridhar said that even children younger than 2 years old, underweight newborns, obese children or children who have lung or other disease also get more complicated problem due to corona infection. Therefore it is very important to protect children from infection.
    Dr. Sridhar believes that whenever the children go out or talk to the people outside, they must put on the mask correctly. Children should keep a distance of 1 meter from people other than household members or from sick members. They should also be taught to wash hands thoroughly for 20 seconds. Dr. Sridhar said that at such a time, scheduled vaccinations of children will have to be done on time, not a single vaccine should be missed. Vaccines can prevent fatal diseases like measles, diphtheria, diarrhea, pneumonia, hepatitis.
    The UNICEF official said that children are still living at home during the epidemic, yet they should continue to do physical activities. Children also have stress like elders. When they see how the elders of the house are coping with Kovid-19, they will behave in the same manner.