Add mumps vaccine to universal immunisation programme: Tamil Nadu to Centre

Sub : Sci

Sec : Health

Context:

Tamil Nadu has seen a significant rise in mumps cases, with around 150 cases monthly.
This prompted the state to request the Government of India to consider adding the mumps vaccine to the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), which already covers vaccines for diseases like tuberculosis, diphtheria, and measles.

About Mumps:

Mumps is a contagious disease that mainly affects children, caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to a family of viruses known as paramyxoviruses.
This infectious disease primarily affects the salivary glands or the parotid glands, which are mainly responsible for the production of saliva.
Mumps disease is usually transmitted through the infected saliva, nasal secretions or respiratory droplets, and close contact with the infected person.
The major symptom of mumps is swelling of the cheeks and jaw, which results from inflammation of the parotid glands.
Mumps typically presents as a self-limiting condition in children, meaning it resolves on its own without major complications in most cases.
In adults, mumps can lead to complications such as orchitis (inflammation of the testicles), which can result in infertility, and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
The incubation period of mumps is usually 16–18 days, but can range from 12–25 days.
Vaccination is the only way to prevent mumps.

Call for MMR Vaccine Inclusion:

The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in Tamil Nadu has written to the Union Health Ministry, requesting that the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine be included in the UIP to control the spread of all three diseases.
Currently, Tamil Nadu’s UIP includes 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, but mumps is not part of the immunization programme.
While the MMR vaccine is available in private hospitals, including it in the UIP would ensure its availability to a wider population.

Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP):

The Immunization Programme in India was introduced in 1978 as ‘Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
In 1985, the Programme was modified as ‘Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)’. It is a central sector scheme.
UIP prevents mortality and morbidity in children and pregnant women against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases:
To accelerate the coverage, Mission Indradhanush was envisaged and implemented since 2015 to rapidly increase the full immunization coverage to 90%.

UIP coverage:

Under UIP, immunization is being provided free of cost to pregnant women and children against 12 vaccine preventable diseases:
Nationally against 11 diseases– Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Rotavirus diarrhoea, Hepatitis B, Meningitis & Pneumonia caused by Hemophilus Influenza type B and Pneumococcal Pneumonia and sub-nationally against 1 disease – Japanese Encephalitis (JE vaccine is provided only in endemic districts).