Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to start Rotavirus vaccination project under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
The project was launched by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh from Dharamsala in district Kangra by administering the Rotavirus vaccine drops to the children aged less than 5 years.
Rotavirus vaccination project is based on the analogy of the polio vaccine. Under it Rotavirus drops would be administered to the children at 6, 10 and 14 weeks after birth. The vaccination project will help in controlling the deaths amongst small children due to Diarrhoea.
About Rotavirus
- The Rotavirus is a genus of double-stranded RNA virus in the family Reoviridae. It most common causative agent of moderate-to-severe diarrhoea (MSD) among infants below 11 months age group in India.
- Transmission: The virus spreads from person to person due to bacterial and parasiting agents that are primarily transmitted through contaminated food or water.
- Impact on Health: It causes gastroenteritis after it damages the cells that line the small intestine and causes gastroenteritis.