Every year, numerous diseases and disabilities are cured and prevented and more than 2 to 3 million deaths are prevented with a simple, cheap and inexpensive method known as ‘Vaccine’.
Vaccination is a biological composition which enhances the immunity to a specific disease. It majorly contains as agents that look like a disease causing microorganisms and is made from the weakened or dead forms of the microbes.
Vaccinations are considered as the most successful and inexpensive method to protect children’s health and their future. Improvement in the coverage of vaccination can help to prevent an additional of 1.5 million deaths yearly.
10th November is observed as World Immunization Day, to spread awareness about the importance about getting timely vaccinations against vaccine preventable disease.
World Health Organization has proven that the immunization is one of the best tools for controlling and eliminating the life-threatening infectious diseases. Still there are 18.7 million of infants all across the globe that misses out for the basic vaccines.
Through routine health services in the year 2015, 85% of infants all across the world have received one dose of measles vaccine by their 1st birthday and 73% in 2000. PSince 1988, 3 countries have decreased down Polio cases by 99%. In todays time only 3 countries which include Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria remains polio epidemic.
In the world, India has one of the biggest Universal Immunization Programs (UIP) in the terms of vaccines used, numbers of beneficiaries covered, geographical spread and human resources involved. Till date UIP has been successful in immunizing 65% of children in the first year of their life and thus the increase in the coverage has been stagnated. In the year 2014, the government of India has launched a vaccination program known as Mission Indradhanush with the aim to ensure full immunization to all the children up to the age of 2 years and pregnant females. All vaccines are available for free of cost under this program.
To reach out every child, UNICEF is working with the government and other organizations to enlarge the advantages of immunization for children because we can’t afford to let go any child unprotected against illness, disability and death.
Some interesting facts about Immunization:
- In India, 9 million routine immunization sessions are being organized every year.
- These Routine Immunizations sessions target 26 million children and 30 million pregnant women.
- These sessions are served through a massive 27,000 cold chain stores.
- 62 percent is the national average for full immunization (NFHS 3)
- India has the highest number of children not immunized.
- On every National Immunization Day, approximately 172 million children are being immunized for polio.
- Every year, India’s polio vaccination campaign covers 800 million children.
- A two-year Measles Rubella campaign to ensure children receive the second measles vaccination is targeting 410 million children.
Points to remember before getting vaccinated:
- Make sure that one needle is used only one time.
- Both the needle and the syringe should be discarded once after the use.
- Doctor consultation is required before getting any kind of vaccination.
- Always follow the immunization schedule.
More Information Consult our expert,Dr. Shalini Tyagi ,Senior Consultant and Head, Paediatrics & Neonatology Department .Call: 9910492867 or email: [email protected]
