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The rate of decline in the infant mortality rate in India, as projected by the Registrar General of India, seems to be realistic considering the factors related to decline in infant mortality in India. Of the major killer diseases during infancy, vaccine preventable diseases such as Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles, hepatitis B, mumps, rubella, H. influenzae for which vaccines are available and incorporated in the national immunization programme can be easily targeted for control and prevention. However, such measures would require intensive vaccination programme in the community, which is going at a slow pace, much less than expectations.
Launching of the "Indradhanush " programme to intensify the current immunization programme seems to be going in the right direction. Reservations, however, exist since the new announcements will not be able to make a dent in the programme unless dedication, motivation, extra funding for intensification in far flung hilly terrains, tribal belts by way of mobile camps are implemented. Changing the nomenclature in the vaccination programme will not result in desirable changes unless the workers are in place with dedication. The new programme does not include hepatitis B, MMR, Hib, typhoid vaccines which are included in few states such as Delhi. These vaccines should have been given a priority for inclusion in the list. The Government, may not be able to allocate the much desired funds in the budget for health and hence, the programme may not be successful at all. The Government should not reduce the funds from health sector to divert to other sectors and it will only result in display of a sorry picture regarding health globally.
Competing interests:
No competing interests
26 March 2015
Mongjam Meghachandra Singh
Professor,
Reeta Devi
Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, co-author: Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi
Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, co-author: School of Health Sciences, IGNOU, New Delhi
Improving immunization coverage to reduce infant mortality in India
The rate of decline in the infant mortality rate in India, as projected by the Registrar General of India, seems to be realistic considering the factors related to decline in infant mortality in India. Of the major killer diseases during infancy, vaccine preventable diseases such as Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles, hepatitis B, mumps, rubella, H. influenzae for which vaccines are available and incorporated in the national immunization programme can be easily targeted for control and prevention. However, such measures would require intensive vaccination programme in the community, which is going at a slow pace, much less than expectations.
Launching of the "Indradhanush " programme to intensify the current immunization programme seems to be going in the right direction. Reservations, however, exist since the new announcements will not be able to make a dent in the programme unless dedication, motivation, extra funding for intensification in far flung hilly terrains, tribal belts by way of mobile camps are implemented. Changing the nomenclature in the vaccination programme will not result in desirable changes unless the workers are in place with dedication. The new programme does not include hepatitis B, MMR, Hib, typhoid vaccines which are included in few states such as Delhi. These vaccines should have been given a priority for inclusion in the list. The Government, may not be able to allocate the much desired funds in the budget for health and hence, the programme may not be successful at all. The Government should not reduce the funds from health sector to divert to other sectors and it will only result in display of a sorry picture regarding health globally.
Competing interests: No competing interests