PUDUCHERRY: Administering the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine immediately after birth can significantly reduce newborn deaths, especially among low-birth-weight infants, according to a landmark study led by the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry.
The study led by Dr. Bethou Adhisivam Professor of Neonatology at JIPMER and team at the Department of Neonatology, JIPMER, Puducherry, in collaboration with senior neonatologists and researchers from the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Chennai, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chennai, Aarupadai Veedu Medical College, Pondicherry, Saveetha Medical College, Chennai, and international collaborators from Australia and New Zealand has been published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ)..
Researchers found that giving BCG (Danish strain) along with oral polio vaccine (OPV) within the first 48 hours of life lowered overall neonatal mortality by 17%, and deaths due to infections by nearly half.
Traditionally, fragile or sick new-borns weighing less than 2,000 grams receive the BCG vaccine only at the time of hospital discharge. But the study, which tracked 5,420 babies, demonstrated that early vaccination boosts immunity against life-threatening infections during the first weeks of life—the most vulnerable period.
“One in every 21 babies vaccinated early survived who otherwise might not have,” said Dr. Bethou Adhisivam, ,. The findings highlight that the BCG vaccine not only protects against severe tuberculosis but also strengthens the immune system more broadly.
Public health experts say the results could influence global vaccination policies, including World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, by emphasizing the importance of giving BCG on time—even if it means opening a vial for a single infant. Such timely administration could save thousands of newborn lives in countries like India, which records 24.9 deaths per 1,000 live births.