According to estimates of national immunization coverage released on monday by the World health Organisation and United Nations international Children's Emergency Fund, india has the highest number of children (at 16 lakh) who have not received the measles vaccine in 2023, behind only nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
 
According to the research, india is one of ten nations where 55% of children worldwide do not have a measles vaccination. This suggests that in 2023, the percentage of vaccinated children in india will be between 90 and 94%.
 
According to the paper, "the majority of ' measles zero dose' children come from a combination of countries having large birth cohorts, deficient health systems, or both."

Young children are especially susceptible to the vaccine-preventable viral illness measles. It presents with classic flu-like symptoms, including body-wide rashes. In extreme circumstances, it can result in pneumonia and potentially deadly brain inflammation in young children.
 
The most recent data coincide with the announcement that at least five states in india would have a measles epidemic in 2022, mostly as a result of a decline in vaccination rates for susceptible children during the COVID-19 pandemic years. maharashtra will see the greatest number of measles cases and fatalities.
 
As a result, india had more "measles zero dose" cases in 2023 than it had in 2022 (11 lakh cases).
 
A combination vaccination against measles, including the rubella vaccine (MR), is now available under the Center's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP). The MR vaccine is administered in two doses, the first at 9–12 months and the second at 16–24 months. In the meanwhile, the commercial sector offers the Mumps, Measles, Rubella (MMR) vaccination, which protects against measles.
 
Experts say that although the illness has a 1-3 percent case fatality rate, during an outbreak that number might rise to 5–10 percent. In 2023, india ranked second globally in terms of the proportion of children who have not had the first dose of the combination vaccination against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DPT-1). Under the UIP, this vaccination is made available to all children at six weeks of age.
 
 
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SIBY JEYYA

15/07/2024 08:12 AM