Newborns to get pneumococcal vaccine free of cost this week

Nagpur: As the second wave of Covid-19 is receding now, the health administration is gearing up to use this period to protect the vulnerable population from infection.
As the Covid-19 vaccine is still not available for children, the routine drive of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) will be implemented effectively so that newborns get protection against pneumonia and similar bacterial diseases.
District health administrations of all districts in Vidarbha will launch a Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) drive from July 12 to reduce fatalities among children due to pneumonia. In Nagpur district, the drive will start in next 3-4 days, said District health officer Dr Deepak Selokar.
“We have completed the training of the health workers and ready with the doses of this vaccine which prevents newborns from pneumonia. However, the date from which the drive will start in Nagpur district is yet not declared,” said Dr Selokar. Districts like Akola, Yavatmal and Buldhana will start the vaccination drive on July 12 itself.
Doctors said that this drive will also boost children’s immunity during the Covid-19 pandemic and also during the projected third wave. Children aged below 1 year will be covered. The state government will be supplying doses for these vaccines. Earlier, it was not involved in the government immunization table, but since 2017, the government has made this vaccine available for free of cost. The market cost of this vaccine is more than Rs5,000 per dose. Three doses are to be administered with first during sixth week of birth, second during 14th week and third (booster dose) in 9th month. The government is bearing the cost of at least Rs 15,000 for every child during this drive.
Nagpur’s Civil Surgeon Dr Devendra Paturkar said that the immunization sites have been finalized and dates will be announced soon.“The PCV acts against pneumonia-causing bacteria. As there is no Covid vaccine for children and as a precautionary measure against a possible third wave, the PCV would act as the first line of defense,” he said.