Rotavirus vaccine by March 2016

In a move that is expected to reduce child mortality, the government has decided to introduce rotavirus vaccine in the routine immunisation programme by March 2016.

The Centre will also launch a three-year-long anti-measles-rubella (MR) campaign next year at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore for saving children in the age group of nine months to 15 years from all kinds of measles.

Rotavirus is a common virus that causes diarrhoea among infants and children throughout the world. According to the figures available with the government more than 1.50 lakh children die in the country due to diarrhoea, however, out of this 50 per cent of them die of rotavirus.

To be started in a phasewise manner, the “indigenous” vaccine will first be launched in four states — Haryana, Orissa, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

Additional secretary, health, C.K. Mishra said, “The introduction of the vaccine will prove to be game-changer as far as child mortality is concerned. More than the deaths, it is the morbidity that is high. The vaccine will not only prevent the deaths but the whole gamut of diarrhoea-controlling exercise is in the offing.”

The government has decided to introduce the vaccine in these states based on a study of the load of cases and preparedness of these states.

More than 100 countries have already introduced the vaccine.

“There is a huge effort to save children from the virus as apart from 1.50 lakh children who die due to diarrhoea, at least two to three times of the children suffer from the disease,” Mr Mishra added.

The rotavirus vaccine introduced in the national programme has been indigenously developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech.