Vellore is gearing up to roll out the rotavirus vaccination from July. The Health Department has now started to train government doctors and paramedical staff prior to launching the vaccination.
The vaccination will be administered free of cost in the government sector.
On Thursday, government doctors at the district level were introduced to the vaccine, its purpose, background, burden of diarrhoeal cases caused by rotavirus.
“The department is introducing the rotavirus vaccination that is in the form of oral drops during the month of July. The vaccination will be given for children at 45, 75 and 105 days of birthalong with oral polio vaccine and pentavalent vaccine,” said K.S.T. Suresh, deputy director of health services, Vellore.
78,000 deaths
Globally, there were 2.15 lakh deaths due to diarrhoea caused by rotavirus. In India, 78,000 children under the age of five years died every year due to diarrhoea caused by rotavirus, he added. Transmission takes places in the faecal oral route, he said.
“This called for an integrated approach involving eradicating open defecation, hand washing, environmental sanitation and promotion of breastfeeding. Vaccination is a specific strategy for preventing diarrhoeal deaths caused by rotavirus,” he added.
As of now, rotavirus vaccination is administered in the private sector as per the immunisation schedule of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, and three doses of the vaccine costs ₹2,000, Dr. Suresh said.
Next, the department will train medical officers and paramedical staff at the block level.
“On June 27, we will be holding a coordination meeting chaired by the district Collector on the vaccine. We have called members of Indian Medical Association, Indian Academy of Paediatrics, and doctors of government hospitals and government medical college hospital for the meeting,” he stated.
