NEWSCOPE
11
RESEARCH
Volume 3 | Issue 3 | July-September 2018
ISSUES
The Government of India has resolved to eliminate Measles and control Rubella. The Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign is an important step in that direction. Measles immunisation directly contributes to
WELL-BEING
Q. Please share with us some details about the immunisation campaign in India. Immunisation is one of the most cost effective public health interventions that currently averts an estimated 2 to 3 million child deaths globally every year. India has one of the largest immunisation programmes in the world, in terms of number of beneficiaries, geographical coverage, and quantities of vaccines used, with nearly 26 million new-borns targeted for immunisation annually. However, despite this effort, only 65% of the children in India receive full immunisation during
Q. What is the burden of Measles-Rubella in India and globally? According to WHO estimates, an estimated 1.34 lakh deaths were caused globally by Measles in 2015. Measles and related complications killed an estimated 49,200 children in 2015 in India, contributing nearly 36% to the global figures. An estimated 84% of global decline in Measles deaths from 2000 to 2016 was due to Measles vaccination. In 2010, an estimated 1.03 lakh children were born with Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) globally, of which an estimated 40,000 children were born with CRS in India.
TRENDS
Q. Why are more girls dying in India than boys? Girls have the advantage of being biologically stronger, yet sadly they are extremely vulnerable socially. The discrimination begins even before they are born. Though the gender gap has started shrinking due to the fast decline of mortality for girls as compared to boys in the recent years, the gap still remains high in many states. The neglect of the girl child is a much broader issue and needs interventions beyond health to address the social norms and cultural practices that act as barriers in bridging the gender gap. It will require working at both the policy level for creating an enabling environment, and at the community level, to build awareness and bring emphasis on the value of the girl child. It will also need increased investments in the availability of gender disaggregated data for more informed planning.
Q. What is the Measles-Rubella Vaccine Campaign and why do we need it? The Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine has been introduced as part of the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) in India to protect children from two diseases, Measles and Rubella, which have high mortality and morbidity respectively. Measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children. It is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus and spreads by coughing and sneezing. It reduces the immunity of the child, making a child vulnerable to life threatening complications such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and infection in the brain. Hence, the burden of diarrhoea and pneumonia can also be indirectly reduced by eliminating Measles. Rubella, although a mild viral illness, can lead to serious consequences if pregnant women are infected during early pregnancy. It can result in miscarriages, stillbirths and a set of congenital anomalies in the foetus and new-borns known as Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS), which is a cause of public health concern. CRS is characterized by multiple defects, particularly affecting the eyes (glaucoma, cataract), ears (hearing loss), brain (microcephaly, mental retardation) and heart defects - many of which are lifelong disabilities, requiring treatment, surgeries and other expensive care throughout life. Hence, it is important to eliminate these diseases. The MR vaccine is provided free of cost under the campaign.
THEME
Q. UNICEF has recently launched a report called ‘Every Child ALIVE’ focusing on the number of newborn deaths in the country. Has India made any progress in curbing the under-five mortality? India has shown 66% reduction in the under-five mortality rate between 1990 and 2015, nearly meeting its Millennium Development Goal 4 target. This is much higher than the global decline of 55% during the same period. This progress has been due to a holistic approach to health programming for children. However, the progress has been slower for new-borns and has also been inequitable between boys and girls, with the under-five mortality rate for girls currently being 11% higher, at 41 per 1000 as against 37 per 1000 for boys.
the first year of their life. This translates to 9 million children not fully protected against preventable diseases such as Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Measles and Preventable pneumonia. To address this issue, Government of India, with the support of UNICEF, WHO and other partners, has launched Mission Indradhanush to achieve 90% immunisation coverage by the end of 2018. UNICEF is also supporting the government for the strategic communication activities on immunisation, in order to create further awareness on the need for complete immunisation as well as create a discourse on the value of vaccines.
PERSONA
• Media, both traditional and digital, plays a vital role in disseminating information, mobilising public opinion and building a discourse around the issue of child safety. Effective use of digital technology for creating further awareness on child safety is another platform that is being leveraged. We need to ensure that all children, every girl and boy, no matter where they live or what their background is, benefit from the learning opportunities and connectivity that the digital world can provide. However, along with the benefits that digital technology provides, it has also put young people at risk of harm online, including abuse, exploitation, trafficking and cyber bullying.
