TN No 1 in immunisation coverage

Tiruchirapalli, Nov 10: The Tamil Nadu has been occupying the top rank in high immunisation coverage for several years and six Vaccine Preventable Diseases have virtually been eliminated in the process, according to national President of Indian Academy of Paediatrics Mr A Parthasarathy.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the vaccination coverage had steadily increased to over 60 per cent in most of the states in the country, while it was over 90 per cent in Tamil Nadu.

Owing to the decline in measles vaccine coverage because of the fear of side effects, there was a decline in measles immunisation in certain districts of Tamil Nadu causing a resurgence in measles cases in low coverage areas, he added.

To a question, he said Uttar Pradesh and Bihar accounted for the majority of the 504 polio cases reported in the country till now this year. This was also due to poor coverage in certain regions of those states in the high immunisation programme.

He said campaigns were being conducted by the academy through various forums to increase the awareness about measles and other routine vaccines, besides propagating the message that all vaccines were safe.

Vaccines produced in the country were being used in African and South East Asian countries, he added.

He said World Immunisation Day was being observed on November 10 all over the world to create awareness among parents and emphasise the need for immunizing their children with recommended vaccines to protect them from the perils of dreaded vaccine preventable infectious diseases like tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps and typhoid.

UNI