If your child is due for an inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), head to a government hospital after April 7. Given continued short supply of the vaccine in the private healthcare and cost-inhibitive combination vaccines, government hospitals may be the only option.
Ever since India switched to bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) from trivalent oral polio vaccine (tOPV) last year, there has been a global shortage of injectable inactivate polio vaccine (IPV). The vaccine change in India warranted the use of IPV as only it can render protection from polio virus type 2 in non-immunised children. The oral vaccine now in use cannot protect against this type of the virus.
“The IPV is available only in the State’s supply and not in private stores. Children under two years of age can avail them during Mission Indradhanush programme starting April 7,” said a health official from Ranga Reddy district. In stores outside, the stand alone IPV is not available. Instead, inactivated polio vaccine is available in combination with other vaccines priced at a few thousand rupees which is unaffordable for many parents, doctors admit.
The fourth phase of Mission Indradhanush will be executed in 13 districts of the State between April 7 and 20 where immunisation rates of children are relatively lower compared to the rest of Telangana. The programme aims to protect children against seven diseases – diphtheria, pertussis or whooping cough, tetanus, tuberculosis, polio, hepatitis B and measles. In erstwhile Mahabubnagar and Warangal, the government will also provide children Japanese Encephalitis vaccine.
The State’s health administration embarked on the second pulse polio campaign for the year on Sunday with an aim to cover 41.5 lakh children across the State. The bOPV drops were provided to children at booths on Sunday, but on Monday and Tuesday, volunteers will visit houses to administer the vaccine. “Mission Indradhanush will be held on seven days in entire Hyderabad, erstwhile Warangal, Ranga Reddy and Mahabubnagar districts starting April 7,” the State Immunisation Officer G. Sudheera confirmed, adding that a survey of beneficiaries has been completed.
