Awareness about Vaccines to Children on the Rise

HYDERABAD: As the World Immunisation Week is being observed all over globe from April 24-30, doctors are highlighting the importance of vaccines and explaining about the various vaccines available for controlling different diseases.

“There are two types of vaccines, mandatory and non-mandatory. All the mandatory vaccines are normally administered to all children whether they are born in government hospitals or private hospitals. But non-mandatory or optional vaccines are administered only on the request of the   parents. With increasing awareness about health, a large number of parents are also administering optional vaccines for their children,” Dr Srirang Abkari, consultant internal medicine at Aware Global Hospital, said.

Normally mandatory vaccines like Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG), Hepatitis B, Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus Toxoid (DPT), Measles, among others are mandatory vaccines administered to all children under Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).

Besides mandatory vaccines many parents are opting for even non mandatory vaccines for their children like Chicken pox, Rotavirus, Pneumococcal, Influenza, among others though they are expensive, observed Dr Srirang.

Not only rich and educated parents, but those from poor and lower middle class are alco coming forward to administer their kids all mandatory vaccines on schedule. That’s reason deadly diseases like polio, tuberculosis, pneumonia have come down drastically, stated Dr S Vedavyas, assistant professor (Paediatrics) at Niloufer Hospitals.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO),vaccination annually averts 2 to 3 million infant deaths globally from diseases such as diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, pertussis, polio and tetanus. And yet, one in five children, or an estimated 21.8 million infants worldwide miss out on basic vaccines.

‘The reason for complete coverage of all children through vaccination programme in our country is due to the extensive campaign and outreach programmes. We have been coming up with regular adaptations and additions for vaccination policy and administering vaccines free of cost. Recently Penatavalent vaccine useful in preventing diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) infection, which costs about Rs 3,000, is administered freely in government hospitals,’’ summed up Ranga Reddy district immunisation officer Nirmal Kumar explaining about the various new initiatives taken up in popularising vaccines.

 World immunisation week from April 24-30

 Awareness about children vaccines satisfactory among Indians

 Non-mandatory vaccines are also in demand

 Lack of awareness about adult vaccines

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