Government to introduce rotavirus vaccine by March 2016
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NEW DELHI: The rotavirus vaccine will be introduced by March next in the government's routine immunisation programme for protecting children from diarrhoea, a move that is expected to save around 50,000 lives per year from the disease.
The Centre will also launch a three-year-long anti-measles-rubella (MR) campaign next year at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore for saving children in the age group of nine months to 15 years from all kinds of measles.
Rotavirus is a common virus that causes diarrhoea among infants and children throughout the world. Presently, more that 1.50 lakh children die in the country due to the disease every year, of which rotavirus accounts to 50 per cent of the deaths.
Additional Secretary Health, C K Mishra said the introduction of the vaccine (in March next year) will be launched in four states initially including Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Orissa and will act as a "game changer" in reducing the child mortality rate.
The Centre will also launch a three-year-long anti-measles-rubella (MR) campaign next year at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore for saving children in the age group of nine months to 15 years from all kinds of measles.
Rotavirus is a common virus that causes diarrhoea among infants and children throughout the world. Presently, more that 1.50 lakh children die in the country due to the disease every year, of which rotavirus accounts to 50 per cent of the deaths.
Additional Secretary Health, C K Mishra said the introduction of the vaccine (in March next year) will be launched in four states initially including Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Orissa and will act as a "game changer" in reducing the child mortality rate.
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