As many 40,000 infants in Mysuru district are expected to get pneumococcal vaccine with the launch of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) immunisation programme under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) here on Tuesday.
Launching the programme, District Health Officer K.S. Prasad said the PCVs are available at 137 PHCs and urged the parents to get their babies inoculated as per the vaccination schedule for protecting them from pneumonia and meningitis.
“This vaccine was not available free in government hospitals but was available in private hospitals with each dose costing around ₹3,000. It was unaffordable for many as three doses of the vaccine have to be administered to the child at different intervals within the age of one year. Now, under the UIP, the vaccine is available free and the people must make use of it.”
Dr. Prasad said 15 per cent of morbidity in infants aged between zero and five years is attributed to pneumonia and meningitis. With PCV jab, they can be protected. “Our records say there are about 40,000 babies eligible for receiving the PCV vaccine. The parents can visit the PHCs of their choice and get the vaccine for their babies for free,” he said.
