Description

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Context

The inclusion of the mumps vaccine in the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) has been proposed by Tamil Nadu following a significant rise in mumps cases in the state.

Currently, Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine is part of the UIP (introduced in 2017) but mumps remains uncovered.

Universal Immunization Programme

The Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is one of the largest public health initiatives globally launched by the Government of India to provide free vaccines against preventable diseases to all children and pregnant women.

The program aims to reduce mortality and morbidity by ensuring high immunization coverage across the country.

Functioning of UIP

Target Groups: Children aged 0-16 years (with a focus on those under 5) and pregnant women.

Vaccines Provided Under UIP:

Vaccine	Diseases Prevented
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin	Tuberculosis
Oral Polio Vaccine	Poliomyelitis
Hepatitis B	Hepatitis B
Pentavalent	Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type B
Rotavirus Vaccine	Rotavirus diarrhea
Measles and Rubella	Measles, Rubella
Japanese Encephalitis	Japanese Encephalitis (in endemic regions)
Tetanus Toxoid	Neonatal and maternal tetanus
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine	Pneumonia and meningitis (in select states)

Service Delivery:

Vaccinations are administered through a vast network of healthcare facilities including primary health centers, sub-centers and outreach sessions.

Maintaining the potency of vaccines through a robust cold chain system is crucial.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

Utilizes the Health Management Information System and periodic surveys to assess coverage and identify gaps.

Regular monitoring ensures adherence to protocols and addresses challenges promptly.

Latest Statistics:

As of the Financial Year 2023-24, the national full immunization coverage stands at 93.5%.

Beneficiaries:

Annually, the program targets approximately 26 million children and 29 million pregnant women through about 12 million vaccination sessions.

Mission Indradhanush

Launched on December 25, 2014 Mission Indradhanush aims to rapidly increase immunization coverage by targeting unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children and pregnant women in areas with low coverage.

Phases

Phase	Launch Year	Focus Areas	Achievements
Mission Indradhanush	2014	201 high-focus districts across 28 states and Union Territories.	Vaccinated over 2 million children and 0.5 million pregnant women.
Intensified MI (IMI)	2017	121 districts and 17 urban areas with persistently low immunization coverage.	Achieved a 6.7% increase in full immunization coverage in targeted areas.
IMI 2.0	2019	272 districts in 27 states aiming for >90% full immunization coverage.	Focused on areas with measles outbreaks and pockets of low coverage.
IMI 3.0	2021	250 districts identified based on low routine immunization performance.	Emphasized reaching children and pregnant women missed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
IMI 4.0	2022	416 districts across 33 states/UTs, focusing on unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children.	Aimed to mitigate disruptions caused by the pandemic and enhance coverage.
IMI 5.0	2023	Special focus on improving Measles and Rubella vaccination coverage.	Concluded all three rounds on October 14, 2023 targeting zero-dose children.

As of December 2024, Mission Indradhanush has vaccinated over 54.6 million children and 13.2 million pregnant women across all phases.

Measles, Mumps and Rubella

Disease	Cause	Transmission	Key Symptoms	Complications
Measles	Measles virus (Paramyxovirus)	Airborne transmission via respiratory droplets	High fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, and characteristic red rash	Pneumonia, encephalitis, blindness, and death
Mumps	Mumps virus (Paramyxovirus)	Direct contact, respiratory droplets	Swollen salivary glands (parotitis), fever, headache, muscle aches	Orchitis (in males), oophoritis (in females), meningitis, encephalitis and infertility
Rubella	Rubella virus (Togavirus family)	Airborne transmission via respiratory droplets or direct contact with infected person	Mild fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes	Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) causing heart defects, deafness and intellectual disabilities in newborns if pregnant mother infected

Sources:

HINDU

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statements regarding the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP):

UIP provides vaccines against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases in India.
Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine is included in the UIP since 2017.
UIP is implemented exclusively by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare without assistance from any global organizations.

Which of the statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a)

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct. The UIP provides vaccines against 12 diseases, including tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis B, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles, rubella, rotavirus, Japanese encephalitis (in endemic districts), haemophilus influenzae type B and pneumococcal pneumonia.

Statement 2 is correct. The Measles-Rubella vaccine was included in the UIP in April 2017 to replace the standalone measles vaccine.

Statement 3 is incorrect. While the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare leads the implementation of UIP, it is supported by global organizations like WHO, UNICEF and GAVI.