Bengal a top performer in vaccination of children, says NFHS

Vaccination is essential, especially for children, be it polio vaccine, DPT, hepatitis B, pneumonia or anything else. Prevention is always better than cure.

The good news is that Bengal is among the top three states with respect to vaccinating children. This was confirmed by the latest report of the National Family Health Survey (conducted during fiscal year 2015-16).

About 85 per cent of the children of the state have been given all the essential vaccinations. Another fact gleaned from the report is that vaccination has had greater coverage in the rural region – about 95 per cent.

A record of sorts has also been created in the state: under Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI), in the district of North 24 Parganas, 40,000 children were vaccinated over a period of four days, with 10,000 per day.

 

Source: Sangbad Pratidin

 

 

WB Govt introduces Pentavalent Vaccination Programme to prevent child mortality

The Health and Family Welfare Department has introduced the Pentavalent vaccination programme throughout the State to prevent infant mortality. The Pentavalent Vaccine will act against five diseases, namely, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT), Hepatitis B and HIB (meningitis).

This vaccine will be given to children up to the age of one year and will spare the infants from going through the ordeal of multiple vaccinations for various ailments. The vaccination programme is expected to benefit 15 lakh children in the State per annum.

The combined vaccine would work against five antigens and has to be administered in three doses when the infant reaches six, 10 and 14 weeks and a booster dose at one-and-a-half years. The Health and Family Welfare department is taking all steps to implement this programme successfully across the State.