Mumbai to start PCV for children under one year of age -Governance Now

Mumbai to start PCV for children under one year of age

Will protect infants from pneumococcal pneumonia

Geetanjali Minhas | July 8, 2021 | Mumbai

#health #children #Vaccine #MCGM #Mumbai #healthcare

To protect small children below one years of age against pneumococcal pneumonia and other pneumococcal diseases, the Mumbai municipality will now start vaccinating children with Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV).

The PCV will be administered under the expanded program of immunization of BCG, polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis-B, H Influenza B, Rota virus, measles, and rubella vaccines. The vaccine will be given free of cost in health centres, major and suburban hospitals as well as government hospitals in the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM).

“The vaccine will be given free of cost in hospitals and clinics including the health centres of Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation. The number of children under 1 year of age in the BMC area is more than 1.5 lakh. All these children will get the benefit of this vaccine,” said additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani.

An estimated 1 lakh children under the age of five died in 2010 due to pneumococcal disease in the country and between 5lakh to 6 lakh children across India were diagnosed with pneumonia.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a type of lung infection and an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Pneumococcal. It causes difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, fever and cough in children. If the infection is severe it can lead to death due to meningitis, pneumonia and septicemia.

Kakani also said that training is being imparted to the concerned staff and awareness is being spread at the regional level for vaccination. Arrangements are also being made for distribution of vaccines, syringes and other supplies. After this, as per the instructions of the state government, direct vaccination of children will be started.

PCV vaccine will be given in three doses. Two primary doses will be given at 6 weeks of age and at 14 weeks. 1 booster dose will be given at 9 months of age. The vaccine will be given to infants in the right thigh. For the first dose, infant under 1 year of age will be vaccinated against polio , rotavirus , IPV and Penta.

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