National Immunization Programme

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Subject: Science and tech

Context:

In virtual Global Vaccine Summit, Prime minister highlighted India’s immunization programme

Concept:

  • Immunization is the process whereby a person is made immune or resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine.
  • Vaccines are substances that stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or disease.

Universal Immunization Programme

  • Immunization Programme in India was introduced in 1978 as ‘Expanded Programme of Immunization’ (EPI) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
  • In 1985, the programme was modified as ‘Universal Immunization Programme’ (UIP) to be implemented in phased manner to cover all districts in the country by 1989-90 with the one of largest health programme in the world.
  • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides several vaccines to infants, children and pregnant women through the Universal Immunisation Programme.
  • Through UIP, Government of India is providing vaccination free of cost against vaccine preventable diseases include diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, severe form of childhood tuberculosis, hepatitis B, meningitis and pneumonia (Hemophilus influenza type B infections), Japanese encephalitis (JE) in JE endemic districts with introduction of newer vaccines  such as rotavirus vaccine, IPV, adult JE vaccine, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)  and measles-rubella (MR) vaccine in UIP/national immunization programme.

Mission Indradhanush

  • Mission Indradhanush was launched in 2014 to strengthen and re-energize the programme and achieve full immunization coverage for all children and pregnant women at a rapid pace.

Intensified Mission Indradhanush

  • To further intensify the immunization programme  Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) was launched on 2017. Through this programme, Government of India aims to reach each and every child up to two years of age and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunisation programme/UIP.
  • The focus of special drive was to improve immunisation coverage in select districts and cities to ensure full immunisation to more than 90% by December 2018.