Polio Vaccine In The Form Of Intramuscular Injection To Be Given From October In Rajasthan

From October babies under the age of 1 year in Rajasthan will have to get inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine (IPV), which is given by intramuscular injection. The trivalent oral polio vaccines (OPV) will be replaced with bivalent OPV from April 2016.

P1, P2 and P3 viruses cause polio. Health authorities had made a decision to do away with OPV in phase-wise manner. From April 2016, the OPV for P2 virus will not be given to the children in the state. If we withdraw OPV for P2 virus, there could be some chances of P2 virus infection. To mitigate the risk, IPV will be introduced six months before OPV for P2 virus will be withdrawn," said Dr RP Jain, project director (immunization). Sine 2009 no new polio cases have been reported. The last polio case was found on November 27, 2009.

"There will not be much change in the routine immunization programme. In spite of trivalent OPV, we will give bivalent OPV to under 5 children from April 2016. Also, IPV will be introduced in routine immunization programme from October 2015 for children under 1. The doses will remain the same. Earlier, there were three doses of trivalent OPV at the age of 1.5 months, 2.5 months and when child attains the age of 3.5 months. Now, for bivalent OPV, the doses will remain the same but along with the third dose of OPV, we will give IPV to kids aged less than 1 year," said Dr Jain.

A workshop to aware the officials in all the districts about proposed IPV launch in the state will be organized by the health department. Information regarding IPV will be provided by the officials.

Source: Medindia