IMMUNIZATION

Vaccines in Routine Immunization (RI) are one of the most cost-effective health investments a country can make. Over the years various strategies to make vaccines universally available, including the most hard-to-reach & vulnerable populations have saved countless lives.

The benefits to the individual include not only the prevention of disease & disabilities but also the opportunity for a healthier & more productive life.

Every child has the right to complete basic immunization irrespective of economic status, political affiliation, geographical location, gender, caste, color or religion. The amazing progress in child survival in the last decade is primarily a result of ever increasing immunization coverage. Universal immunization programme includes vaccines to prevent eight vaccine preventable diseases (TB, Polio, Diphtheria, Pertusis, Tetanus, Measles, Hepatitis ‘B’ & HIB). The State government has introduced MMR vaccine in 2009 to prevent diseases like Mumps, Measles and Rubella. Sikkim is the first state in the country to initiate MMR vaccination along with hepatitis ‘B’ vaccine.