Nagaland launches Rotavirus Vaccine for diarrhoea prevention

Dignitaries with parents and children after administering Rotavirus Vaccine to children in Kohima on August 2. (Morung Photo)

Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 2

Joining the rest of the country, Nagaland today launched a new vaccine called Rotavirus Vaccine into routine immunization across the state for diarrheoa prevention.

Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) Managing Director, Dr. Thorhusie Katiry administered the first dose of RVV to children here at NAHK. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Katiry said that many children die and many more fall sick due to diarrhoea diseases. 

In India, available data indicates that Rotavirus is responsible for nearly 40% of moderate to severe diarrhoea in children below than 5 years.

For children under 5, Rotavirus diarrhoea is responsible for 32,70,000 out-patient visits, 8,72,000 hospitalizations and 78,000 deaths annually, he said. “Our government has taken many steps to reduce the diarrhoea disease burden and the introduction of Rotavirus vaccine is another step in that direction,” he added. 

Rotavirus vaccine is effective in reducing hospitalizations and deaths due to diarrhoea, he said adding that this will in turn bring down the under-five mortality rate of the state. Dr Katiry stated that from August 2 onwards, the vaccine will be introduced in Routine Immunization Programme. It will be given as 5 drops orally at 6, 10 and 14 weeks along with Penta-l, 2 & 3 vaccines.

The Rotavirus vaccine, like other routine immunization vaccines, will be provided free of cost. 

The introduction of Rotavirus vaccine under the national immunization programme will ensure that its available in government run immunization programmes, enabling access to all sections. 

 “We are making the best possible efforts to bring down the burden of Rotavirus Diarrhoea and I seek support of parents and community to avail this opportunity and make our children free of diseases which can be prevented through vaccination,” he said.

Directorate of Health & Family Welfare (DHFW) SIO, Dr. Ritu Thur said that the vaccine is safe and urged the parents and communities to avail this opportunity and make the children free of diseases which can be prevented through vaccination.

According to state’s Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, the state has completed the required training at all levels—state, districts and blocks.

The state has received 27,000 doses of Rotavirus Vaccine from the Government of India, which have been distributed to all the cold chain points as per the target. Printed banners and leaflets have also been distributed to all the districts.

Rotavirus is responsible for more than 2,15,000 deaths each year in children younger than five years of age and 3.4% of all under-five deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (2013) report.   

The report stated that Rotavirus is also responsible for millions of hospitalizations and clinic visits each year. It affects children around the world in both rich and poor countries. India bears the highest burden accounting for 22% of worldwide Rotavirus deaths.

The Indian Rotavirus Strain Surveillance Network (IRSSN) has reported that the virus accounts for 40% of hospitalizations due to diarrhea in children. Approximately 50% of Rotavirus-associated deaths occurr in the first year of life and about 75% occur in the first two years of life. The burden of Rotavirus diarrhea and associated death varies by region, age and sex in India.

Rotavirus is estimated to cause 37% of the total diarrheal deaths and 40% of the total diarrhea-related hospitalizations in children under five years of age worldwide.

So far, Rotavirus vaccine has been successfully introduced in eleven states of the country namely Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, in a phase manner since 2016.