Immunization
Immunization is a process whereby a child is made immune or resistant to infectious diseases by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccines stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect the child against subsequent infection or disease.
Routine vaccination is now provided in all developing countries against tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and measles. In industrialized countries, a wider protection is provided against mumps (combined with measles and rubella) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in addition to the routine vaccines with the inclusion of vaccines. . The WHO recommended vaccination schedule right from birth, as followed in most developing countries is given in Table 1.1
Table 1: Immunization Schedule of Developing Countries
|
Vaccine
|
Age
|
|
|
Birth
|
6 weeks
|
10 weeks
|
14 weeks
|
9–12 months
|
|
Primary Vaccination
|
|
BCG
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
|
OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine)
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
|
DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus)
|
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
|
Hepatitis B
|
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
|
Measles
|
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
Booster Doses
|
|
DPT + OPV
|
16–24 months
|
|
DT
|
5 years
|
|
Tetanus toxoid (TT)
|
10 years and at 16 years
|
|
Vitamin A
|
9, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months
|
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: December 30,2008