Immunization Technical Support Unit
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.
Immunization Coverage Is Necessary To Reduce Child Mortality
Putting Immunization on top priority list
India has made tremendous progress in delivering vaccination to target-age mothers and children, considerably regulating the spread of preventable diseases in the country. Even though a country with vast expanse of health infrastructure in dire need of revamp, Govt. made sure that the immunization program is carried out with precision through complete tracking and accountability. The monitoring mechanism makes sure that every child and mother is provided with the vaccination that is transported in temperature controlled conditions so that the efficacy of the dosage is not lost.
Govt and State machinery have sensitized the health workers on the ground to manage the vaccination program on a war footing but with the stated timelines of delivering to the promise of complete immunization by 2017. Not only that the govt. is investing in modernizing the health infrastructure in the country.
Immunization Technical Support Unit in collaboration with Melinda-Bill Gates foundation is working to deliver vaccination to the remotest corners of the country with the target of achieving a disease free India by 2017.
Properly managing surveillance on the ground, reaching the deserving candidates, hiring health professionals to carry the effort and maintaining the due-diligence process is what makes this effort a commendable one which will turn India into a case-study worth following for any developing nation looking to manage such a situation. This year the immunization has witnessed a jump of over 6% with people actively taking part in the drive after being educated about the benefits of vaccination. With govt at the helm and prime minister himself monitoring the progress, the effort has already pushed traction with statistics already showing marked improvements. The govt machinery and the efforts of health professionals are bearing fruit and will help India achieve its dream of a disease-free country real soon.
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.
Health Care is right not a privilege
Government has started several healthcare programs for the betterment of common public. Several National Health Missions have also been started for health care. They are basically focusing on reaching every child, reducing inequality of gender.
National Health Mission is designed to develop the health care work force and to reach every women and a child and preventing them from preventable disease with vaccination. The goal is to provide high quality medical resources to all the women and children, to ensure good quality of life, cure illness when possible. The core purpose of government is to design effective strategies to reach the public, quality and coverage of the routine check-up and creating efficient delivery system. In health prevention activities, there are two approaches:
- High – risk approach – is aimed at those persons in which there are more chances of development of disease .
- Population approach – is targeted at the general population who are endangered to that disease
In both the cases, the major focus is to prevent the people, from getting diseased. To provide an over reaching framework, to energize the program, we need to follow a vision that is to improve program management, strengthening the ability for greater efficiency. Immunization is among the most- successful and cost- effective public health interventions till now.
The quality of healthcare given by a health professional can be judged by its results. A good system of regulation is fundamental to successful public health outcomes. Equally important is the need to increase the number of paramedical workers and training institutes.
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.
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