Pentavalent Vaccine to Roll Out in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana This Week

The ‘five in one’ pentavalent vaccine under the universal immunization program of the Government of India is expected to be launched in Telangana on May 11. The program will be launched in Andhra Pradesh on May 7.

Andhra Pradesh, Telangana are the southern states of India. Source said that, after the formal launch, the health authorities will merge the pentavalent vaccine into the ongoing routine immunization program in both the States.

Hib Vaccine - Types, Dosage Schedule, Contraindications and Side Effects
The Hib vaccine protects children against infections like meningitis and pneumonia that are caused by the Haemophilus influenzae type b bacterium.

Around 6.31 lakh infants in Telangana and 8.36 lakh in Andhra Pradesh will benefit from the pentavalent vaccine annually.

Health experts from a host of agencies, including health departments from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, WHO, UNICEF and Indian Academy of Paediatrics on May 5 interacted with press persons on the pentavalent vaccines. Towards capacity building, the local health care workers including Anganwadi, ANC, nurses and even doctors in both the States have been given proper training.

“We are hoping that in Telangana, the vaccine will be formally launched between May 11 and 12 in Warangal. We are finalising the exact date,” said Joint Director, Child Health and Immunisation (CHI), Dr. Jai Kumar. The JD, CHI for Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Joga Rao, said that Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu would formally launch the programme on May 7 from Tirupati.

About Shingles
In ‘Shingles’ or ‘Herpes Zoster’ painful skin rashes appear usually on the side of chest wall. It is caused by chicken pox virus called varicella zoster.

The single shot of pentavalent vaccine will provide protection to infants from five life-threatening ailments, including Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus (DPT), Hepatitis B and pneumonia due to Hib (Haemophilus influenza type b). Since 2011, the Union Government has been introducing pentavalent vaccine in a phased manner in Kerala, Karnataka, Pondicherry, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and Delhi.

Meningitis - Causes - Symptoms - Diagnosis - Treatment - FAQs
Meninges are the three layers of membrane that cover the brain and infection of the cerebrospinal fluid between them causes meningitis the disease of the meninges.

Source-Medindia

Mumps - Causes - Symptoms - Diagnosis And Treatment - FAQs
Mumps is a contagious viral infection that typically causes a painful swelling of one or more of the salivary gland. Mumps most commonly occurs in children aged 2-12 years who have not been vaccinated against the disease. However, it can occur at any age. It was a common childhood disease before the development of the mumps vaccine (MMR vaccine).