Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)

The basket of vaccines in India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) was static for many years - until the entry of the Pentavalent [which protects against 5 infections - diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae Type B (Hib) in one shot], and Japanese Encephalitis vaccines in the last decade.

There have been regular additions to the basket since, and two new vaccines - measles-rubella and pneumococcal conjugate were added along with rotavirus vaccine, was extended to more states.

What is rubella, and why is vaccination for it important?

More commonly known as German Measles, Congenital Rubella Syndrome, or CRS, is believed to affect about 25,000 children born in India every year. Symptoms can include cataracts and deafness, and the disease can also affect the heart and the brain.

Some infants suspected to have intra-uterine infection were found to have laboratory evidence of CRS.

Some children with congenital anomalies have laboratory evidence of CRS.

10-30% of adolescent females and 12-30% of women in the reproductive age-group are susceptible to rubella infection in India.

The Health Ministry will run a campaign among children aged 9 months to 15 years before making the vaccine a part of routine immunisation. Two shots will be given - one between the ages of 9-12 months, the other at age one-and-a- half. The monovalent measles vaccine is already part of the UIP basket of 10 vaccines; it will be discontinued once MR is introduced.

And what is pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)?

PCV is a mix of several bacteria of the pneumococci family, which are known to cause pneumonia - hence 'conjugate' in the name. Pneumonia caused by the pneumococcus bacteria is supposed to be the most common.

Pneumonia and diarrhoea have long been responsible for the most child deaths in India - pneumonia is responsible for about 20% of under-5 child mortality in India, of which half are of pneumococcal origin.

Three doses will be administered at one-and-a-half months, three-and-a-half months and 9 months.

The rotavirus vaccine

The rotavirus vaccine first became a part of UIP in April 2016. Rotavirus infections are the most common cause of diarrhoea in children. An estimated 1 lakh children die every year of the disease.