Delhi govt flags off free pneumonia vaccination drive for infants at 600 centres across city

The pneumococcal vaccine provides protection against pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis, caused by streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. It has to be administered in three doses to children at one-and-half months, three-and-half months, and nine months of age.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal during the launch of the programme. (Twitter/@ArvindKejriwal)

The Delhi government began its Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccination program on Thursday, in which the vaccine will be administered free of cost in 600 centres across Delhi.

The pneumococcal vaccine provides protection against pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis, caused by streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. It has to be administered in three doses to children at one-and-half months, three-and-half months, and nine months of age. In the last few weeks, governments of other states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Jharkhand have also launched their state-wide drives of this vaccine.

“Today we are flagging off this new kind of vaccination programme. Till now, children of Delhi were administered vaccines for 12 diseases. From today, we are administering vaccines for pneumonia that will protect children from the disease. Earlier, children under the age of five were gravely affected by pneumonia and there were even deaths recorded. This vaccine will protect children from death. Not only pneumonia, but the vaccine will also protect children from diseases like meningitis and sepsis,” said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at the launch of the programme in an Aam Aadmi polyclinic in Paschim Vihar.

“This is a very expensive vaccination, which would usually cost around Rs 1,500-6,000 at a private hospital. The Delhi government is starting this program at 600centres for free to protect children from the risk of serious illnesses and death,” said Health Minister Satyendra Jain.

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