The Six in One Combination Vaccine (Health, Diseases and Biotechnology)
The Six in One Combination Vaccine (Health, Diseases and Biotechnology)
Why In News:
A new report suggests that introducing a six-in-one combination vaccine could significantly boost outcomes under India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) by reducing the number of injections and visits required to fully vaccinate a child.
Source: The Hindu, Page 12, 5 August 2026, 'Six-in-one vaccine may boost immunisation programme'
What is the Six in One Vaccine?
Composition: A hexavalent combination vaccine protecting against six diseases in a single shot: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV).
Advantage: Reduces the number of separate injections a child needs, improving compliance and reducing dropout between the first and subsequent doses.
Current UIP schedule: India currently uses a pentavalent vaccine (five-in-one) alongside separately administered OPV and IPV doses.
Universal Immunisation Programme
Launched: 1985, one of the largest public health programmes in the world, providing free vaccination against multiple vaccine-preventable diseases.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, implemented through the National Health Mission.
Vaccines under UIP: Include BCG, OPV, Hepatitis B, Pentavalent, Rotavirus, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), Measles-Rubella (MR), Japanese Encephalitis in endemic districts, and Td.
Coverage and Scale: The UIP is one of the world's largest immunisation programmes, reaching 2.9 crore pregnant women and 2.54 crore newborns every year, free of cost.
U-WIN Portal: A digital platform for tracking immunisation of pregnant women and children, extending the CoWIN model to routine immunisation.
Key Facts for Prelims
Landmark achievements: India eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2015 and was certified polio-free in 2014 under the UIP.
WHO's Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI): It was launched in 1974 by the World Health Organization to ensure universal access to life-saving vaccines for children globally.
Initially targeting six childhood diseases, it has expanded to recommend 14 universal vaccines covering all age groups.
This is the global framework with which India's UIP aligns.
Private sector use: Hexavalent vaccines are already used in several private immunisation schedules; the news relates to potential public-sector adoption.