Mains Daily Question
Jan. 22, 2023

Highlight the importance of vaccination for healthcare, particularly in developing countries like India. Also, discuss the steps taken by the government of India to ensure universal immunization of our population. (10 Marks)

Model Answer

Approach:

Introduction: Define vaccines and their working mechanism in brief

Body: Highlight the importance of vaccines for healthcare in developing countries, and steps by the government for universal immunization.

Conclusion: Suggest a way forward by connecting with our commitments to healthcare.

Answer:

Vaccines are biological preparations containing an agent resembling a disease-causing microbe, this provides active acquired immunity to that particular disease. The agent stimulates the body’s immune system to recognize the agent as foreign, destroy it, and remember it for the immune system to better recognize and destroy microbes in later encounters. Vaccination is a widely considered aspect of preventive healthcare boosting the immunity of people.

Importance of vaccination for healthcare particularly for developing countries like India:

  • To tackle the high disease burden prevalent in tropical subtropical countries of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and polio. India has also planned to eliminate measles with help of immunization by 2023.
  • To break the chain of faster transmission rates in countries with high population density such as India. Warmer climates also support this transmission.
  • To reduce the financial burden upon people with high poverty rates in many developing nations such as Africa. Universal immunization helps protect people regardless of socioeconomic status.
  • Increase the reach of healthcare services to rural, remote, and underserved regions in developing nations by means of mobile vaccination vehicles, medical personnel, etc.
  • Cost-effective strategy as the benefits far outweighs the costs. Universal immunization program in India is one of the most cost-effective health interventions. It also has long-term positive effects on economic development by reducing disease burden and increasing productivity.

Steps by the Indian government to ensure universal immunization:

  • The expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) was initiated in 1978 to reduce morbidity and mortality from diphtheria, childhood tuberculosis, etc. by providing immunization services to all eligible children and pregnant women by 1990.
  • It was later modified to a universal immunization program(UIP) in 1985 expanding it beyond urban areas 1985. It is the most extensive public health program with national Vaccination against 9 diseases. Its two major milestones are polio elimination in 2014 and tetanus in 2015. New vaccines have also been introduced.
  • Launch of Mission Indradhanush in 2014 aimed at increasing immunization coverage of children to 90% with a focus on pockets of low-range and remote areas. A total of six phases of this has been launched with the first two resulting in a 6.7% increase in full immunization coverage in a year.
  • Intensified Mission Indra Dhanush was also launched in 2017 as a targeted approach to reach every unvaccinated, partially vaccinated child under two years of age and pregnant woman.
  • New initiatives in vaccine logistics and cold chain management-
    1. Electronic vaccine intelligence network ( EVIN) rollout digitizes entire vaccine stock management, their logistics enabling managers to have a real-time view of vaccine stock and storage temperatures.
    2. National cold chain management information system to track cold chain equipment inventory, availability, and functionality.
  • The launch of the Co-WIN digital platform for real-time monitoring of covid 19 vaccine delivery is now also being used for other vaccination programs.

 

Overall, such experiences can be utilized along with increasing the capacity of healthcare workers and collaborating with the private sector to ensure innovation and greater reach as well as the pace of immunization. This could help us move towards the fulfilment of sustainable development goal 3.

Subjects : Current Affairs
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