To provide children double protection against polio, the Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV) was launched in the State by Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak here on Wednesday.
The injectable vaccine provides serum immunity to all three types of poliovirus. It serves the dual purpose of quickly boosting the child’s immunity to polio when used in combination with Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), thereby boosting overall population immunity and helps prevent any possible polio outbreak in the country.
The Minister said children in the age group of 0-1 years would be administered the vaccine. Around 8,53,000 children in the State would be targeted annually through immunisation sessions to be held in all health facilities and Government hospitals every month.
In view of the reports of some cases of infection in children after being administered oral polio drops, the IPV has been launched that would be administered along with the existing oral polio drops, he added.
Earlier, the Pentavalent Vaccine was launched in October last year followed by the Rotavirus Vaccine in March, 2016 and Bivalent Oral Polio vaccine in April under the Universal Routine Immunisation programme.
In line with the Centre’s commitment to the Polio Endgame Strategic Plan (2013-2018), two fractional doses of the IPV are being introduced into the routine immunisation programme in eight states, including Odisha. The dose would be administered to children aged between 6 and 14 weeks along with the first and third dose of OPV and Pentavalent Vaccine.