Rotavirus vaccine for children would yearly save 5,000 lives in MP, says UNICEF

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Bhopal: According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), introduction of free Rotavirus vaccine for children under the age of one would prevent at least 5,000 deaths who die of diarrhoea in Madhya Pradesh every year.

UNICEF Madhya Pradesh chief Michael Juma at a seminar on Thursday said, diarrhoea is caused by Rotavirus claims as many as 6,500 lives in the state every year.

UNICEF's communication specialist Anil Gulati quoted Juma as saying, "More than 5,000 of them can be prevented with 95 per cent immunisation coverage of this vaccine. Forty per cent of severe diarrhoea cases require hospitalisation and as such, timely administration of Rotavirus vaccine has great potential to reduce diarrhoeal infections."

Dr K L Sahoo, director, Madhya Pradesh Public Health Department, said the vaccine is being made available across the state.

State Immunisation Officer Dr Santosh Shukla said the vaccine is painless and safest, and can reduce 40 per cent cases of diarrhoea. MP was the fifth state in India to launch this vaccine, he said.

(With PTI inputs)