World Immunization Week celebrated every year in the last week of April (24-30) with an aim to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease.
Using the theme ‘Vaccines bring us closer’, World Immunization Week 2021 will urge greater engagement around immunization globally to promote the importance of vaccination in bringing people together, and improving the health and wellbeing of everyone, everywhere throughout life.
Vaccines have brought us closer and will bring us closer again
For over 200 years, vaccines have protected us against diseases that threaten lives and prohibit our development. With their help, we can progress without the burden of diseases like smallpox and polio, which cost humanity hundreds of millions of lives Whilst vaccines aren't a silver bullet, they will help us progress on a path to a world where we can be together again. Vaccines themselves continue to advance, bringing us closer to a world free from the likes of TB and cervical cancer, and ending suffering from childhood diseases like measles. Investment and new research is enabling groundbreaking approaches to vaccine development, which are changing the science of immunization forever, bringing us closer still to a healthier future.
Universal Immunization Programme in India: Immunization Programme in India was introduced in 1978 as ‘Expanded Programme of Immunization’ (EPI) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. In 1985, the programme was modified as ‘Universal Immunization Programme’ (UIP) to be implemented in a phased manner to cover all districts in the country by 1989-90 with one of the largest health programmes in the world. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India provides several vaccines to infants, children and pregnant women through the Universal Immunization Programme.
About immunization: Immunization is the process whereby a person is made immune or resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccines are substances that stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or disease.
Mission Indradhanush: Mission Indradhanush (MI) was launched in December 2014 and aims at increasing the full immunization coverage to children to 90%.
Diseases Protected by Vaccination under UIP
1. Diphtheria
2. Pertussis.
3. Tetanus
4. Polio
5. Tuberculosis
6. Measles
7. Hepatitis B
8. Japanese Encephalitis ( commonly known as brain fever).
9. Meningitis and Pneumonia caused by Haemophilus Influenzae type B.
Immunization against Corona Virus: When the whole world is coping with a pandemic due to the spread of the Corona Virus, immunization is only a way to tackle the pandemic. Within a year of the pandemic, the world has developed many vaccines against Corona Virus, & the immunization process has been started & going on with full swing. Till date, these few vaccines have been administering to people in many countries:
India has started the world's biggest immunization program from 16, January 2021, with two vaccines approved by the CDSCO. Oxford-AstraZeneca(Covishield) & Indian-made (Covaxin).
Also read: COVID-19 Nosode: Homeopathic Pills
Now third Russian made vaccine also got the emergency use authorization in India with the name Sputnik V. According to the health ministry till 7 am today (23.4.2021) 13,54,78,420 vaccine doses have been administered through 1938184 sessions.
Corona Vaccine administered by Countries: Total in the world (Doses 889990259, 496485287 persons vaccinated with at least one dose).
