VELLORE: Expert virologist and World Health Organisation consultant Dr Jacob John, who has been working with the staff at the Christian Medical College here, urged the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday to step up surveillance of the incidence of diphtheria in the State.
He pointed to 25 cases of diphtheria that has led to two deaths among young adults in Kerala. He added that this was the result of a poor vaccination coverage in that State. He commended Tamil Nadu State’s relatively good vaccination coverage against diphtheria among children. However, the fact that the disease has struck in the neighbouring State of Kerala should serve as a warning to step up the immunisation drive in Tamil Nadu State as well.
John said if immunisation is not done at a young age the disease accumulates over time and if and when the body loses immunity, the disease emerges.
He also said, “It is advisable to control the disease by vaccinating children, as it would be cheaper. When the young are not immunized, one needs to get the much more expensive vaccine for adults (which is not a stand alone but includes additives) that poses a public health burden on the government.” He said three doses of DTP (Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) vaccine in children could prevent diphtheria.
Thanks to the measures taken by the country in the past four decades through massive vaccination drives, outbreaks of the disease are few but the disease is still prevalent in small numbers in places where immunization coverage was inadequate. Sporadic cases of diphtheria are being reported from across the country. In 2014 alone, Delhi reported 1,400 cases with 16 deaths.
According to John, Tamil Nadu is the only State in the country that has a dedicated public health department. It was created under the Madras Presidency 1935 Act and is fully functional. He emphasised the need for the establishment of public health departments in all states and a functional department at the centre.