What is Gujarat's New Td and DPT Vaccination Drive All About?

Mehsana, June 26 (NationPress) Gujarat's Health Minister Rushikesh Patel officially inaugurated a statewide Td (Tetanus and Diphtheria) and DPT (Triple Antigen) immunisation initiative from Unjha in Mehsana district. This campaign is designed to safeguard children and adolescents from severe diseases including tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, pneumonia, among others.

As part of this public health effort, 992 Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams will facilitate vaccination sessions across 47,439 schools, focusing on approximately 18.2 lakh students.

Moreover, nearly 6.1 lakh children in around 39,045 Anganwadis will receive their second dose of the DPT booster in line with the national immunisation schedule.

This initiative forms a crucial component of India’s Universal Immunisation Programme, which has incorporated Td vaccines for adolescents aged 10 and 16 since 2019.

In the previous year, over 23 lakh adolescents, including those in schools and out-of-school, were vaccinated in Gujarat. Given the campaign's success, Gujarat has established Td vaccination drives every June and July, coinciding with the start of the school year.

This year, students in Standards 5 and 10 from both government and private schools will receive the Td vaccine, while children aged 5 will be administered the second DPT booster dose, ensuring protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.

Health statistics from the last three years indicate a significant reduction in cases of diphtheria and tetanus due to this continuous effort.

Moreover, there has been a substantial decrease in whooping cough cases among young children as a result of targeted immunization efforts in Anganwadis. To manage this extensive operation, over 10,764 healthcare teams will carry out Td vaccination sessions in schools.

Children who miss their scheduled doses will be accommodated in forthcoming sessions, guaranteeing that no child remains unprotected. This campaign is being executed in close collaboration with the state’s Education Department, which has been instrumental in outreach and logistics.

Officials have reassured that both Td and DPT vaccines are safe, having been integral to India’s national vaccination program since 1985.

While no significant adverse effects have been reported during school-based campaigns over the past three years, Adverse Events Following Immunisation kits will be accessible at all vaccination sites and schools to ensure a swift response to any potential side effects.