The State Government on Wednesday launched the Pentavalent vaccine under the universal immunisation programme.
Infants under one year would get six injections instead of nine and the added benefit would be that they would be vaccinated against Haemophilus Influenza type B (Hib).
Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak launched the programme here.
The Pentavalent vaccine is five individual vaccines conjugated in one intended to actively protect infant children from five potentially deadly diseases like Haemophilus Influenza type B (Hib), that causes meningitis, pneumonia and otitis, whooping cough (or Pertussis), tetanus, hepatitis B and diphtheria.
The new vaccine would replace diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT) and hepatitis B vaccine doses which were given at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 months after birth of an infant.
“The vaccine costs Rs 1,200. But it would be provided to infants free of cost. Children within the age group of six months to six years would be given the first dose of Pentavalent vaccine. At least 13 districts have covered under the Mission Indradhanush scheme in second phase,” said Mnister Nayak.
Around 1.24 lakh children would be given Pentavalent vaccine in the 13 districts.
National Health Mission Director Roopa Mishra informed that around 30 children are being vaccinated in 30 seconds daily.
Notably, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had launched Mission Indradhanush on December 25, 2014 with an aim of expanding immunisation coverage to all children across India by year 2020.