Haryana to launch Pentavalen vaccine to protect children

by Haryananewswire

CHANDIGARH, DEC 19

Haryana would become the first State in North India and third  in the country after Tamil Nadu and Kerala to launch Pentavalent vaccine, as Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda would launch Pentavalent vaccine in the State Immunization Programme in Chandigarh on December 21, 2012. The Pentavalent vaccine would be launched in  all 21districts of the State and would be available free of cost for all sections of the society.

          This was stated by Principal Secretary, Health Mrs. Navraj Sandhu while addressing a ‘Media Collaboration Workshop’ on the introduction of Pentavalent Vaccine in Haryana’s Immunization Programme, here today.

          Mrs. Sandhu said that health of children being the most important issue for the State Government in addition to improve the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), the Pentavalent  vaccine would be administered to children of up to one year of age.

          She said that Pentavalent Vaccine provides protection against five life-threatening diseases namely Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib). Hib was the primary cause for childhood phenmonia and meningitis. She said that about 5.5 lakh children would be covered under the programme during the current year. This would not only prevent morbidity associated with pneumonia and meningitis but also avert thousands of deaths due to this disease annually. She said that the vaccine would be available free of cost at all public health institutions through the State Routine Immunization Programme. 

          She said that children below the age of five years were more vulnerable to disease and conditions that contribute to fatal consequences leading to increased child mortality. Vaccination was one of the most significant medical interventions preventing such serious diseases. Mrs. Sandhu said that most diseases contributing to under-five mortality were now preventable using currently available vaccination against them.

          Mrs. Sandhu said that Haryana was a progressive State in all spheres including health. She said that various steps have been taken by the Heath Department for improving immunization in the State. Apart from this, the cold chain management was being strengthen with the assistance of World Health Organization (WHO).  Special emphasis was being laid to reduce the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and the figure has gone down by four points, which was a significant achievement. Also, newborn care units have been set up in the State. Mrs. Sandu also urged the media to play constructive role in spreading this programme so that maximum children could be covered under it.

          Mission Director, National Rural Health Mission Dr. Rakesh Gupta said that the launch of Pentavalent Vaccine would help in reducing the number of injections a child receives from nine to three. Apart from this, it would also provide logistical conveniences since five vaccines were stored in a single vial and a lot of space would be freed up for storage and transportation. She said that a single auto-disable syringe would be used instead of three per child, thereby substantially reducing the plastic and sharp waste.

          Others who also addressed the workshop included Health Specialist, Immunization, UNICEF Dr. Satish Gupta, General Secretary, Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) Dr. Naveen Gupta and Deputy Commissioner, Immunization, Government of India Dr. Pradeep Haldar and other senior officers of Health Department, Haryana.