The Hindu Business Line : `Immunisation must include triple antigen'

THE complications brought about by viruses that cause measles, mumps and rubella in children are serious enough for the Union Government's immunisation programme to include a vaccine to combat them, said Dr Mrudulla Phadke, Director of Medical Education, Maharashtra, here at a press conference.

Currently, the immunisation programme's vaccines protect children from polio, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, tuberculosis and pertussis. A single vaccine, the triple antigen, protects children against measles, mumps as well as rubella.

The additional cost that the immunisation programme would incur on the heels of including the triple antigen may explain the Union Government's reluctance to add it, felt Dr Phadke. Among State Governments, New Delhi and Tamil Nadu have included the triple antigen in their immunisation programme.

Serum Institute of India, the company that organised the press conference, is currently the only domestic manufacturer of the triple antigen. It is sold under the brand name, Tresivac, and costs Rs 60 for a dose.

In a paper presented at a medical conference in Chennai, Dr Phadke said measles is the leading cause of childhood deaths in India. It kills nearly eight lakh infants and young children annually.

Pneumonia and encephalitis are some of the complications that could follow from an attack of measles. Examining the related mortality data, Dr Phadke's paper said that generally one or two out of every 100 children who get measles die. On account of poor nutrition in developing countries such as India, "measles has been known to kill as many as one out of four children."

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