E-Paper
Coming up, play sections for kids at 10 vaccine centres in Chandigarh
These 10 centres will offer scientific brain games and play equipment to engage children while they remain under observation for 30 minutes after vaccination
In a bid to enhance the quality of children’s immunisation, the UT health department has shortlisted 10 vaccine centres that will be upgraded as model immunisation centres (MIC), equipped with play sections.
For starters, the department will upgrade the centre at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, as part of the pilot. Apart from offering scientific brain games, the play section will also include slides and trampoline.
The centres will also be made more spacious with designated waiting area, systematic child friendly flooring, cleanliness, literature regarding immunisation and skill development segment for auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs).
As per officials, the main purpose of these upgrades is to improve vaccine safety surveillance post vaccination wherein children are kept under observation for half an hour.
“With existing infrastructure, it is difficult to observe a child for half an hour, which is mandatory as per guidelines as part of adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) surveillance. We need to observe the child/infant for any kind of reactions, including fever, swelling, vomiting and fits. But at most vaccine centres, there is no proper environment to convince parents to stay back for observation,” said district immunisation officer (DIO) Dr Manjeet Singh.
The DIO further stated that these MICs will not only enhance the quality of immunisation programme but also attract parents towards getting their children vaccinated. ANMs will assist parents while their child remains under observation.
Available vaccines
Government health facilities across the city offer various vaccines for children, including Bacillus Calmette-Guerin for protection from tuberculosis, Hepatitis-B birth dose, Vitamin A, oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine.
Also provided is pentavalent vaccine for protection from five life-threatening diseases – Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Hib; pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for protection from pneumococcal disease, along with vaccines for rotavirus, measles, rubella and Japanese encephalitis.
According to the data provided by the immunisation department, as many as 13,000 infants were vaccinated in 2020-21, covering 82.10% of the target. Similarly, 13,290 infants were administered vaccines in 2021-22 and 15,995 in 2022-23.
“The routine vaccination programme saw a 35% decline during the Covid-19 pandemic amid the lockdowns,” said the DIO.
Meanwhile, despite the department’s efforts, awareness about children’s immunisation remains low.
“The public should be made aware about the benefits of various vaccines for children, and their questions and doubts should be cleared. Risk and benefit ratio should be made clear. People should also discuss their concerns with health experts,” said Dr Madhu Gupta, professor at department of community medicine and school of public health at PGIMER.
Health dept to procure Wi-Fi temperature loggers
The health department has also decided to install Wi-Fi temperature logger devices at 58 vaccine centres to improve cold chain management. These devices, which are armed with an alarm system, will monitor and alert temperature fluctuations in ice lined refrigerators (ILRs) where vaccines are stored.
According to DIO Dr Manjeet Singh, the department has placed an order for 75 devices, of which 62 have been received. One all devices arrive, installation will begin. Apart from ensuring proper vaccine storage, the initiative is expected to also minimise vaccine wastage.
Dr Singh said the advanced Wi-Fi temperature loggers will provide real-time data every hour and transmit it to the Union ministry of health.
Currently, ANMs at vaccine centres record the vaccines’ temperature in the morning and evening.
