MillenniumPost
Bengal

State govt to offer free pneumococcal vaccine to infants from October

kolkata: Infants below the age of one year will get pneumococcal vaccine in the state free of costs from October as the Health department has decided to include the same in the list of 11 vaccine, which are administered on them to provide immunisation against various diseases.

The Health department is expected to start pneumococcal vaccine from October this year which will protect children from pneumonia and also infections in nervous system and ears and also bacteria induced diseases.

According to the Health department's figures around 15 lakh children get 11 vaccines from the government hospitals completely free of costs.

These vaccines protect children from various ailments like Polio, BCG, Diptheria, Partussis, Tetenus, Hib influenza, Hepatitis B, Mumps, measles, Rubella and Rotavirus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also recommended all the governments to include the pneumococcal vaccine among the list of vaccines as the 12th addition.

Those who get their children administeredzzwith pneumococcal vaccine from the private health establishments pay around Rs 1,500. From October, people will get the vaccine free of cost at the government hospitals and health centers.

People from the remote areas will also get this vaccine from various health centers like the other 11 vaccines which are currently administered.

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