Indian Academy of Pediatrics bats for pentavalent vaccines

MUMBAI: A series of infant deaths after receiving the pentavalent vaccine had prompted doctors and academicians to write to the centre against its mass use. Now, the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) has issued a statement commending the government's efforts in providing free pentavalent vaccines and calling the fears as unfounded.
The pentavalent vaccine is supposed to provide protection against five life-threatening diseases - Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Hib (Haemophilus influenza type b).While, the DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus) and Hepatitis B are already part of the national routine immunization programme, the union government has recently added the protection against Hib. The combination together is called pentavalent. The centre had recently introduced the vaccine in Haryana, Goa, and Pondicherry after Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Three infants had reportedly died in the past one month in Kerala after receiving the vaccine, while one death was also reported from Haryana this month. "Pneumonia and meningitis pose serious threats to children in India," said Dr CP Bansal, president of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics. "Free-of-cost access to this vaccine will help protect all children from these terrible diseases," he added.
"The Hib component, in particular, protects children from a significant cause of childhood pneumonia and meningitis. It has been proven safe and effective in several studies and is currently used in the national immunization programs of more than 180 countries worldwide. Diseases caused by Hib have been dramatically reduced in locations that have introduced the vaccine," said Bansal. The IAP is a umbrella body of pediatricians.
The IAP stated that in studies conducted in Vellore, Tamil Nadu following the availability of the vaccine, hospitalizations from meningitis caused by Hib were dramatically reduced.