Why a dry run for COVID vaccination is needed

This is the first time a vaccine to be administered outside the universal immunisation programme and specifically for adults is to be rolled out. Since several aspects of the COVID vaccination programme are new, the government has rightly decided to undertake a dry-run for vaccine administration.

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2.3 million children in India unvaccinated for measles, second highest globally 

At 2.3 million, India has the second highest number of children who are not vaccinated against measles. In 2017, 2.9 million children in India under one year of age had not been vaccinated. There were nearly 70,000 cases of measles in India in 2018, the third highest in the world. In 2018, measles caused an … Continue reading 2.3 million children in India unvaccinated for measles, second highest globally 

Can health spending of 2.5% of GDP only by 2025 help achieve the goals set by India’s National Health Policy?

The long awaited National Health Policy announced a few days ago proposes to raise public health expenditure as a percentage of GDP from the current 1.15% to 2.5% by 2025. The resource allocation to individual States will be linked with their development indicators, absorptive capacity and financial indicators. “There will be higher weightage given to … Continue reading Can health spending of 2.5% of GDP only by 2025 help achieve the goals set by India’s National Health Policy?

Low measles-rubella vaccination coverage may cause more cases of congenital rubella syndrome

Only about 50 per cent of children aged nine months to 15 years in Tamil Nadu have been vaccinated by the measles-rubella combination vaccine since the campaign was launched. Unless and otherwise the vaccination coverage is increased to over 90%, there is a high possibility that the State would witness more rubella infections among older … Continue reading Low measles-rubella vaccination coverage may cause more cases of congenital rubella syndrome