PENTAVALENT VACCINES IN CITY HOSPITALS

CBD BELAPUR: Children in the city will finally get five vaccines conjugated in one as the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has launched the ‘five in one’ pentavalent vaccine in the city under the Centre’s universal immunisation programme.

The programme has been launched by the government in only a few states as of now.

A pentavalent vaccine is five individual vaccines conjugated in one intended to actively protect infants from five potentially deadly diseases — haemophilus influenza type B (the bacteria that causes meningitis, pneumonia and otitis), whooping cough (or Pertussis), tetanus, hepatitis B and diphtheria.

DPT, a combination of vaccines against three infectious diseases in humans — diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus— is already a part of the programme in the country.

HIB vaccine has now been added to it.

The vaccine was launched by mayor Sudhakar Sonawane earlier this week.

According to NMMC medical officer Dr Deepak Paropkari, “The vaccination will be given free of cost to upto one-year-old infants. It will protect them from any infection to the nervous system.”

He added, “Parents should ensure that their children take the vaccination as it will protect them from five serious ailments. It is now available at all 21 urban health centres of the city and NMMC hospitals at Vashi, Airoli apart from camps that NMMC will set up.”