Introducing newer vaccines to give more protection to your child
Dr M Karim Khan
Vaccines are for protection against different infectious diseases. Achievement of EPI programme in Bangladesh is highly praised nationally and internationally. Success of EPI programme has definitely a major role in decreasing infant mortality rate in Bangladesh. In EPI vaccination schedule, main seven diseases are covered namely Tuberculosis, Polio, Diphtheria, Whooping cough, Tetanus, Measles and Hepatitis B.Now in Bangladesh other few newer vaccines are also available in private sector. Most of the good private clinics and chamber of the pediatricians has vaccination facilities. In this article the newer vaccines those are available in our country will be described. MMR means Measles, Mumps, Rubella. It is indeed a very important vaccine. By giving this vaccine children's are not only protected from Measles but they are also protected from Mumps (Viral Parotitis) and Rubella ( German measles). This Rubella vaccine is particularly very much important for female child because, if a pregnant lady gets infected with Rubella in the early part of her pregnancy, her child is likely to develop many congenital anomalies and the child may die in the uterus. All these problems can be overcome by giving MMR vaccination. Hib vaccine means Hemophilus influenza b vaccine. This is also a very important vaccine. By giving this vaccine child can be protected from Pneumonia and Meningitis produced by Hemophilus influenza bacteria. Typhoid vaccine is given to children to protect them from Typhoid fever, which is a very common disease in our country and spread by consuming contaminated water and food. Chicken pox vaccine is also available in our country. Most of the time chicken pox is not a serious disease but if it occurs during exam period, may spoil your kids exam. So give this vaccine to your kids as soon as possible. Vaccine against Hepatitis A are also quite important vaccine for our country, as this disease is very common and spreads through contaminated food and water i.e. poor personal hygiene is responsible for the disease. One of the newer vaccine is combination vaccine, which includes DPT and Hepatitis B vaccine. The advantage of this vaccine is to reduce the number of needle prick. If you give separately DPT and Hepatitis B vaccine you have to prick. Other vaccine like Pneumococcal, Meningococcal, Rabies vaccines are also available in our country though they are not given routinely. We all try to give our beloved children the best food, best dress, best education; then why should we not try for better protection of our children by giving those newer vaccines. The writer is an Associate Professor Department of Pediatrics of Community Based Medical College, Mymensingh. E mail: [email protected]
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