Vaccines are essential to help us develop immunity against deadly diseases. With the present Coronavirus pandemic claiming about 2.66 million lives, vaccination has once again acquired paramount importance. On the occasion of the National Vaccination Day 2021, we take a brief look at its history, significance, objectives and this year’s theme.
History March 16 is observed as national Vaccination Day by the Government of India, every year. It was on March 16, 1995, when the day was first celebrated officially after the Pulse Polio Immunisation programme became operational. The first dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine was administered in 1995 on this date, under the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Polio Eradication Initiative which had begun in 1988. Children who were in the age range of 0-5 years were given two drops of the vaccine orally in public health centres. Vaccination against Polio, however, had already started in 1978 and on March 27, 2014, India was declared polio-free, by WHO.
Significance & Objectives On National Vaccination Day, the Government of India seeks to raise awareness about the necessity of immunisation against not just the deadly Poliovirus, but every major viral disease that we do not have natural immunity against. The major vaccines administered in India to children up to 5 years of age are Tetanus, Measles, Rubella, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis-B, Meningitis, Pneumonia, Diptheria, and Pertussis. Covid-19 vaccines for the vulnerable group are the latest addition.
Theme The theme for this year’s National Vaccination Day is both Polio eradication as well as the current COVID-19 threat. Vaccination schedules to eradicate the SARS-CoV-2 virus are being run across the nation.
Covid-19 The virus known as SARS-CoV-2, reportedly began spreading from China and then reached the rest of the world. Clinical trials of a vaccine named ‘Covaxin,’ developed by Bharat Biotech, began in India on July 24, last year. On January 16, this year, the first phase of vaccination for the virus began in the country. By March 15, over 3.15 crore Indians received COVID-19 vaccines.
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