The Tripura Government has started administering PCV or Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine through Government facilities free of cost across the State from Wednesday. As part of a State-wide exercise, the vaccination has also commenced in the Gomati district on the same day.
This vaccine is being given in 3 doses to children at the age of one and a half months, three and a half months and nine months.
About the benefits of the vaccine, Dr. Abhijit, a pediatrician at the Gomati District Hospital clearly mentioned that although the vaccine would not protect babies from Covid, however, the vaccine would help to protect them from secondary infections.
The vaccine exercise was inaugurated by Gomati District DM Devpriya Vardhan at a function held at Hospital in Udaipur sub-division today. Inaugurating the programme, the DM said, bringing this free vaccine under universal immunization drive will benefit the children of the district.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Nirumahan Jamatia of Gomati District said that vaccination was conducted in 57 health centers under the district on Wednesday. A total of 108 children received the first dose of the vaccine on the first day. Most vaccinations were administered at Kakraban Primary Hospital. A total of 22 children were vaccinated there.
Besides, 17 children were vaccinated in Ampi, 20 in Amarpur and Karbuk, 9 in Atharobhola and 6 in Garji on the first day. The vaccine was given today in villages like Thachchhara, Kurma, West Malbasa, etc of the district.
Highlighting necessity of vaccinating the babies, Dr. Joydeep Debbarma, District Immunization Officer, Gomati District, said that according to an estimate, about 8 lakh children died due to pneumococcal pneumonia all over the world. The vaccine was launched in India in June 2020. The vaccine will help children develop immunity to bacterial pneumococcal pneumonia and meningitis.
Notably, it is for first time that the PCV vaccines are being administered free of cost from Government Health Centres. So long, an intended parent had to buy the vaccine and as the price was too high, most of common people could not afford it.
“Decision of Government of Tripura to provide the vaccine free of cost is boon for people and will ensure healthy babies”, said a mother of a new born baby in Udaipur.