Telangana pins hopes on vaccine
The vaccination schedule has been completed in the state of Telangana.
Hyderabad: With the Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) and Pentavalent vaccine (for preventing Haemophilus Influenza type B (the bacteria that causes meningitis, pneumonia and otitis), Whooping Cough (or Pertussis), Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Diphtheria) introduced by the government of India in its immunisation programme, paediatricians are hopeful that deaths due to these diseases will reduce in the coming years.
The vaccination schedule has been completed in the state of Telangana. Paediatricians are hopeful that severe pneumonia in children under five years of age will see a downslide.
Recent data shows that 69.6 per cent of children suffering from pneumonia are being brought to healthcare units on time. This shows that at the primary care level, the disease is being identified on time.
Dr Sanjay Srirampur, senior pediatrician, says vaccination is the best way for controlling the disease and the inclusion of the vaccine in the government scheme will hopefully reduce the number of cases in the coming years.
Pneumonia has been a major cause for concern in children under the age of five, especially as 40 per cent of children in this age bracket are malnourished. The mortality due to the disease is as high as 16 per cent, primarily because children do not get enough vitamin A in the first two years of life.
Early breastfeeding practices are not followed, which is also one of the major reasons for lower immunity in children. The recent National Health Survey data shows that only 46 per cent of mothers are exclusively breastfeeding their children.