Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) & Hepatitis A

Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) & Hepatitis A

  • Context:

  • As India's health landscape evolves, there is an active debate over which new vaccines should be included in the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)

  • Strong arguments being made for both the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) and the Hepatitis A vaccine

  • About the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)

  • The Government of India launched the Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) in 1978.

  • It was renamed the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) in 1985

  • The program aims to provide vaccines for preventable diseases.

  • Initially, it targeted six diseases:

  • Tuberculosis

  • Diphtheria

  • Pertussis

  • Tetanus

  • Poliomyelitis

  • Measles

  • The UIP is one of the world's most successful public health initiatives and has expanded significantly to include new vaccines.

  • Key Vaccines Added:

  • Vaccines added over the years include Hepatitis B, Pentavalent (DPT + Hep-B + Hib), Rotavirus, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), Measles-Rubella (MR), and fractional doses of Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (fIPV).

  • Mission Indradhanush was launched in 2014 to cover unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children.

  • Hepatitis A:

  • Hepatitis A (or infectious hepatitis) is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A Virus (HAV).

  • It is transmitted primarily by the faecal-oral route, often through contaminated food, unsafe drinking water, and poor sanitation.

  • The Epidemiological Shift:

  • Historically, most Indians were infected in early childhood, which caused mild illness and conferred lifelong immunity.

  • With improved sanitation, fewer children are exposed, leaving many adolescents and adults unprotected.

  • Why is it a Priority?:

  • Hepatitis A is entirely preventable through vaccination.

  • Multiple recent outbreaks in Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi

  • When contracted by unprotected adolescents or adults, the disease is far more severe.

  • Unlike typhoid, there is no specific treatment for severe Hepatitis A

  • An indigenous, safe, and effective live-attenuated vaccine (Biovac-A) already exists and is used in the private sector.