JOIN USSustained efforts need to be made to spread the information on a mass scale about the available adult vaccination options, insists Dr Satish Kaul.
Only two months ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared India a Polio-free country.
In reaching the feat, immunisation played a vital and crucial role.
Concerted efforts to eradicate the polio menace in India have been fruitful and a similar approach needs to be replicated for preventing other diseases that can be nipped in the bud by immunisation, in both children and adults.
Creating awareness about immunisation should be the focus area, as it can help prevent many serious illnesses like measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pneumococcal
pneumonia, among others.
Immunisation helps strengthen the body’s immunity by building a combative response towards targeted viruses or bacteria.
When administered to a healthy person, a vaccine triggers the immune system to respond to it and build immunity.
Immunisation not only saves a person from various diseases, but also over time, can eradicate the disease. It is a cost-effective, easy and safe way to fight diseases.
Lack of knowledge, about vaccination to prevent certain common diseases, is a major roadblock. Believe it or not, the knowledge of adult immunisation is poorer than that about infant and child immunisation.
Sustained efforts need to be made to spread the information, on a mass scale, about getting vaccinated against various diseases.
There is also a need to break the myth that adults do not need to be vaccinated against diseases. The vaccinations available for adults are for fighting influenza (flu), pneumococcal disease, herpes zoster (shingles), human papillomavirus (HPV), pertussis
(whooping cough), hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Vaccines for pneumococcal pneumonia and shingles are recommended for people aged above 60.