Its non-availability in public health programme will affect the poor: Centre
The government on Wednesday said non-availability of pentavalent vaccine in the public health programme had equity implications for the poor who could not afford the vaccine in the private sector.
Seeking to put to rest doubts raised by a section of society over the utility of the pentavalent vaccine in the universal immunisation programme — launched in Kerala — the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said pentavalent was available in the private market for over a decade now with three Indian manufacturers producing it.
“The Pentavalent vaccine is already available in the private market at a very high cost. When it comes in the public health system it is free of cost and hence available to those who otherwise cannot afford it,” Anuradha Gupta, Joint Secretary in the Ministry, told The Hindu here.
The Pentavalent vaccine contains five antigens — Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Hib with only Hib being the new addition to the immunisation programme. The Hib vaccine is available in both monovalent and combined formulations. India becomes the 171st country to introduce vaccination against Hib with the United States and Finland starting it in the early 1990s.
The pentavalent formulation has several programmatic advantages as it halves the number of injections per child and reduces the requirement of cold chain storage space besides ease of management of logistics and data. Hib infection causes pneumonia and meningitis that kill close to 5 lakh children every year in India. Meningitis can also result in crippling disabilities.
Dismissing criticism over the introduction of the pentavalent vaccine, Vinod Paul, Head of the Paediatrics Department at the AIIMS — who was also part of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) that took the final call on introducing the vaccine — said the decision was taken after due and intense process of discussion and had a strong scientific backing. “In fact, there should be an immediate scaling up of the vaccine in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, where immunisation is low,” he said. The NTAGI heard voices of the government, independent researchers, civil society groups and researchers.
Keywords: Pentavalent vaccine, public health programme, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Hib
Pentavalent vaccine is introduced in the public sector in the two southern states of Kerala and Tamilnadu.It is considered that the two states are comparatively efficient in implementing the preventive methods of disease control.As this is effective in controlling five diseases it should be extended to all states in a phased manner.The literacy rate is the main constituent in achieving higher disease control.Parallel to this awareness programmes should also to be taken very seriously.The poor people should be the target as the affluent can get it any how.
@Sharmistha: If your child has never taken any vaccine, she will require a single dose of the Pentavalent vaccine, followed by two doses each of DPT and HBV. Repeat DPT + HBV after one year.
Dr Khanna overlooks the cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndromes reported in the UK immediately after this vaccine was launched. This had to be reported by a health media professional who has also now written a book about it called perhaps "Vaccination and SIDS". I think these doctors should make their stance very clear, which side are they on? In the side of their patients or in the side of the multi billion dollar vaccine industry? We have with us papers that shows there was a great divide within NTAGI members over the introduction of this highly controversial vaccine. In fact Dr Jacob Puliyel and other NTAGI members have filed a legal petition against this vaccine in the Delhi High Court. A similar petition by a local doctor has been filed in the Kerala High Court. The Hindu should report accurately if it wants to retain the confidence of its readers.
please clarify at what age this vaccine should be given. My daughter is near about 3 and 1/2 years old and i am leaving in kolkata (North 24 Parganas), and from where i will get this pentavalent vaccine please send the address alongwith contact address.
This is excellent news. These vaccines are highly effective. I am an Emergency Physician in the UK and can confirm that that meningitis has virtually disappeared in children since HiB vaccine was introduced in the UK over 10 years ago. Widespread vaccination programmes have virtually eliminiated diptheria, pertussis and tetanus in the Western World many years ago.
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