PCV vaccine to protect children from pneumonia, meningitis & other respiratory diseases launched in Cachar

June 30: Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) for children was launched in Cachar district to vaccinate around 45,000 children below one year against pneumonia, meningitis and other respiratory diseases.

Deputy commissioner Cachar Keerthi Jalli inaugurated the vaccination drive in the district at a function organized at Satindra Mohan Dev Civil Hospital in Silchar here on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion DC Jalli said, “The vaccine will be administered to the children free of cost at all government health centers in the district. I appeal to the people of the district to take this opportunity to vaccinate their children.”

“In view of the anticipation that children may be affected in the third wave, it becomes very much essential that we keep our children protected. This vaccine will definitely help to save children from pneumonia,” Jalli added.

It is pertinent to mention here that pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV)is being introduced in the universal immunization programme to protect children against pneumococcal disease. Pneumococcal pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection that causes inflammation and accumulation of fluid in the lungs. It makes breathing difficult and limits oxygen intake. Children below 5 years of age often get effected by this disease. Vaccination with PCV will prevent diseases and deaths due to pneumococcal disease in children.

While delivering his speech, Additional Chief Medical Officer Dr PK Roy said that children below the age of 5 years often suffer from shortness of breath. At present, the state government has taken up this programme to save the children from the dreaded diseases like respiratory diseases during the outbreak of corona so that the children do not fall prey to corona. Mentioning this vaccine has no side effects, Dr PK Roy said that the vaccine has been available in other states since 2017.

Leading pediatrician Dr SK Roy opined that in the current corona pandemic situation, there is no corona vaccine for children, so such a PCV vaccine would help prevent corona disease in children. Dr Binayak, a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), said that the first dose of the vaccine should be spaced two months apart and the first dose should be given within a maximum age of one year.

It’s worth mentioning that the dose of this vaccine is given to children from the age of one and a half months. The second dose is given at the age of three and a half months and the booster dose is given at the age of nine months.

Additional Deputy Commissioner J.K. Rajbongshi, Jt. Director of Health Services, Dr B.J Deb Sikdar, District Immunization Officer, Dr. Sumona Naiding, District Media Expert (NHM) Suman Choudhury, were present on the occasion.