Recommended Vaccines For Immunization In India 2016

Vaccination defends potentially deadly diseases. It develops and increase the immunity and prevents the spread of some infectious diseases like smallpox, polio, tetanus, etc. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the licensed vaccines are currently available which can prevent or at least contribute to the prevention and control of twenty-five preventable infections of the world.

In India, major percentage of the people are either unimmunized or partially immunized which leads to early deaths, critical sufferings, etc. The immunization cycle for about 13 vaccines (in India) starts since the birth of the child; also vaccines are given to the would be mothers also. Immunization is India is essential to protect the children from various diseases, theses diseases are either curable or incurable but at least prevention from the infections can be taken care of.

The recommended vaccination chart for immunization in India is being made by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) who critically analyze and study about the global trends, about effect of various vaccines. The list of recommended vaccines is made for all the Indian children. According to the Immunization schedule in India, the recommended vaccines listed are; BCG, HepB, Poliovirus, DTP, Hib, PCV, RV, Typhoid, MMR, Varicella, HepA, Tdap and HPV.

If in any circumstances, doses are missed or delayed, the catch-up schedule for vaccination in India can solve your problem. IAP has created the catch-up chart to make sure that all the vaccines are given to the children, even after certain dose is missed out or delayed.

Why is Vaccination compulsory for babies in India?

We live in a medically advanced world, but still potentially dangerous diseases are present around us. In order to fight these diseases or keep ourselves protected, it is always recommended to get oneself vaccinated or immunized. Immunization in India allows people to lead a healthy life by protecting them from the danger of specific diseases. While you get vaccinated, a certain breed of viruses or bacteria are administered, so that your body may develop immunity against that particular micro organisms. In this way, when the same set of bacteria or viruses enter your system, your immune system will knows how to protect your body.

In India, there is a series of vaccines that are recommended for a new born baby to protect him or her from the potential danger of certain serious ailments. With its citizen-friendly immunization policies, the Indian Government has made the vaccines available at quite a low prices (some are even available for free) in the government run hospitals.

Following are the health issues that are targeted by the immunization in India:

• Measles
• Tetanus
• Tuberculosis
• Typhoid
• Mumps
• Diphtheria
• Pertussis
• Polio
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis A
• Rubella
• Gastroenteritis (rotavirus)

Here’s the list of the vaccines that are recommended for the babies in India:

• BCG or Bacillus Calmette Guerin Vaccine
• OPV or Oral Polio Vaccine
• DPT Vaccine
• MMR (Measles Mumps Rubella) Vaccine
• Hepatitis B Vaccine

Our extremely efficient immunization policies has made immunization available for the babies throughout the nation, which has helped in giving India a healthy tomorrow.

Major Initiatives Under National Health Mission

Launched in 2005 by the government of India, the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) deals with the health needs of underprivileged and under-served rural areas. Firstly, it was projected with addressing the health requirements of 18 states that had been known as having poor public health signals. Later Union Cabinet vide its decision dated May 1, 2013 has accepted the launch of National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) as a Sub-mission of an over-arching National Health Mission (NHM), with National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) being the other Sub-mission of National Health Mission. Following are the few initiatives under National Health Mission (NHM).

Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA)
Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) have been involved under the objective for creating a link between the community and the health system. ASHA, initiated by National Health Mission (NHM), is the first port of call for any health related needs of underprivileged sections of the population, especially women and children.

Rogi Kalyan Samiti (Patient Welfare Committee)
Initiated by National Health Mission, the Rogi Kalyan Samiti (Patient Welfare Committee) is a group of trustees for the hospitals to handle the affairs of the hospital. These committees are being financed through unbound fund to attempt activities for patient welfare.

Health Care Contractors
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has given health care contractors to under-served places, and has been engaged in educating and grooming to prosper the skill set of doctors at strategically located facilities identified by the states. Likewise, due importance is provided to capacity building of nursing staff and subsidiary workers such as ANMs.

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) was made by National Health Mission to lessen maternal mortality among pregnant women by promoting them to offer in government health facilities. Under the scheme cash assistance is offered to eligible pregnant women for providing birth in a government health facility.

Newest Areas in Vaccine Research

The Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU) along with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Routine Immunisation(RI), Government of India is working on the Vaccination and health department.  Under Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), MoHFW and the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), target of providing vaccines to every district of the states has been a successful drive. The motive is to provide all the essential vaccines to the children and mothers, specifically. Public Health Foundation of India works on the social, cultural and economic determinants of health and efficient health systems.

Public Health Foundation of India help in various sectors like Education, Training & Research and Policy Development in the area of Public Health. This foundation provides essential health packages for India.
The new areas have been discovered in current vaccine research which contains very useful information: New effective vaccines are in development which will be used for the diseases yet to be controlled; DNA Vaccines and Use of Adjuvants are the new technologies which will be highly beneficial; Easy methods of delivery of the vaccines e.g. aerosol vaccines, vaccine patches, etc.

DNA Vaccines are very effective and has a long-lasting immunity. These vaccines have induced immunity in the injection which make a specific portion of the pathogen in the vaccine recipient. Because of its very few side effects, the vaccine only uses the necessary component of the bacteria or virus to make a very small amount of antigen. Also, the another research going on is the development of a vaccine for the vulnerable and high-risk groups such as pregnant women, new-born babies and those having very less immunity strength in their bodies. The vaccine additives such as Adjuvants stimulate the immune system and its discovery can make the existing vaccines better in effectiveness. For diseases such as influenza, cancers and HIV, several adjuvants are under clinical trials and practices, to ensure the best Vaccination in the coming future.

ITSU: Strengthening the health workforce

As the name states, the Immunization Technical Support Unit aims to achieve full immunization of children and mothers in India. ITSU came into picture with the efforts of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Public Health Foundation of India in 2012. This unit works in collaboration with organizations and research institutes to strengthen the health workforce in the nation.
Health care is said to be the right of every citizen and deserves basic health facilities as and when needed. For providing the same, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare initiates various health schemes and programs for women, children, senior citizen, etc. As the part of such initiatives, ITSU was developed with core purpose of:

• Designing strategies to enhance the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) of the Government of India.
• Strengthening Routine Immunization in the nation to give right of basic health amenities to one and all.
• Create effective vaccine delivery system by supporting the existing ventures and extend help in creating new ones to broaden the reach of the cause.

ITSU is based on a unique structure which works as a strong team. It can be understood as:

• A multi-disciplinary technical team of experts and advisors from various segments likemanagement, research, legal and communications.
• This unit works in collaboration with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the Department of Health and Family welfare to work towards its defined goals.
• It drives its learning’s from other initiatives to develop robust strategies.

ITSU acts as a catalyst in identifying and addressing the needs of growing health issues in the nation, in order to develop a workforce that works towards delivering real change in the health system.

Milestones achieved in complete Immunization effort

Government of India’s effort to completely eradicate preventable diseases is making a commendable progress towards achieving the goal of a disease-free India.

Source : http://www.free-press-release.com/news-milestones-achieved-in-complete-immunization-effort-1464352456.html

ITSU a Complete Immunization for Mothers & Children

The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) has established the Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU) with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). It took place after a memorandum of understanding that was signed by the MoHFW and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The main goal of the Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU) as visualized by the Indian Government when it declared 2012 as the Year of Intensification of Routine Immunization, is to accomplish the target of complete immunization of mothers and children in the target age in each state in India. It will be attained with the delivery of vaccines in each and every district and state in the country.

The Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU) established by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) is also responsible to work and coordinate with the other partners and stakeholders to spread more awareness among the general people. It also works towards streamlining the total vaccine manufacturing and delivery process. It offers active support to the Multi-Year Strategic Plan for Vaccination which was designed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). It works with the government and non-governmental agencies as well as local and national civic bodies to make an extensive system and road map for efficient delivery of vaccines to the target demographic within the stipulated time frame in cost effective modes that don’t compromise on the quality and standard of the vaccines.

The Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU) made by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) has a team of experts from different walks who work at the state level to apply successful communications, awareness, advocacy, research and management initiatives. Even expert care is taken to make sure that the immunization program reaches even the most rural areas in every state in the country. It involves in a dynamic procedure of learning from same initiatives internationally to make ways to work in the local context. It also hosts need-based and custom-made training so that the goals of the program can meet met with no compromise. It has been successful at utilizing the vaccination program efficaciously.

Role of Government in Public Health Care

Universal Immunization Program is an vaccination program organized by the Government of India basically for following diseases i.e. Tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, tetanus, pneumonia, Diarrhoea, hepatitis B, measles,etc. Universal Immunization Program is one of the largest of its kind in world in terms of vaccines, number of heiress reached, number of immunization sessions organized.

Several steps taken by the government to ensure complete vaccination of all children across the country and to increase awareness among the community about the benefits of the vaccination drives are:
1.)Free Vaccination to children and pregnant women.
2.)Government has been providing funds to states for mobility support, alternate vaccine delivery and mobilization of children by Accredited Social Health Activist(ASHA), etc.
3.)Government conducted Special Immunization Week (SIW) from time to time in areas with pockets of low immunization coverage.
4.) Government is implementing many missions that target area which is either partial immunization or no immunization.
After the success of the above program and mission, are:
1.Immunization coverage rapidly increased.
2.Improved service quality.
3.An introduction to a district-wise system for monitoring performance.

There is a strong commitment in the country for achieving the Universal Immunization coverage for the elimination of targeted disease.
A complete information on the disease and its likely outcome along with the benefits of the vaccine must be given to parents while prescribing and using the vaccine in a given child. At National Level, Immunization Technical Support Unit, is providing support to Universal Immunization Program for its successful implementation.

ITSU : Creating effective Vaccine delivery system in India

Directed by a multidisciplinary technical team of thematic experts and advisors, ITSU took shape under the guidance of Public Health Foundation of India along with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and partners. Known for supporting the largest health programs of its kind in the world, ITSU provides techno-managerial support for scaling up the Universal Immunization Programme(UIP) of the Government of India.

UIP was launched by government of India to provide full immunization against childhood diseases as a right to every child which was later supported by Mission Indradhanush to strengthen the program. In line with such ventures, PHFI has also set up centres of excellence to raise awareness and strength via research, training and educating in high priority area of public health in India. And working in line with these principles, Immunization Technical Support Unit focusses on national programs and aims to deliver real change, working closely with health system, the government and other key stakeholders receiving considerable support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

ITSU works towards enhancing strategies of the Routine Immunization Program in India and creating effective vaccine delivery system for vaccines. With its on-going efforts, Public Health Foundation of India unites some of world’s most renowned public health specialists, researchers and practitioners, a committed team to bring about a significant positive change in the Indian public health scenario. It strives to deliver services that promote health in multiple settings, uninterrupted.

Immunization Dashboard – ITSU