- Union Health Minister JP Nadda launched the rotavirus vaccine in the State in the presence of Odisha Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and other senior officials.
- With the launching the vaccine was now available in the State free of cost under the Centre-sponsored Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
- Apart from Odisha, the vaccine will be available in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh under the UIP.
- The Centre, along with Unicef, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other stakeholders are launching the rotavirus vaccination programme.
- According to sources, the vaccine would be available at all government health facilities for free and would be administered to children at six, 10 and 14 weeks of age. Sources said the vaccine is available in the private sector at about Rs 3,000 for a full course.
- Introduction of the vaccine under the UIP would ensure equitable access to protection from rotavirus-induced diarrhoea in children.
- Sources said the rotavirus vaccine will help prevent death of around 1.5 lakh infants, besides putting a stop 4.5 lakh hospitalisation each year.
- Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus causing diarrhoea among children, often leading to hospitalisation and mortality.
- The vaccine will be administered in every one and a half months, two and a half months and three and a half months, said Health Department officials.
Rotavirus vaccine is a vaccine used to protect against rotavirus infections. These viruses are the leading cause of severediarrhea among young children. The vaccines prevent 15 to 34% of severe diarrhea in the developing world and 37 to 96% of severe diarrhea in the developed world. The vaccines appear to decrease the risk of death among young children due to diarrhea. Immunizing babies appears to decrease rates of disease among older people and those who have not been immunized.
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