In Depth - National Immunisation Day

On March 16th every year, India observes National Vaccination day, also known as Immunization day. It was on this day in 1995 that the first dose of Oral Polio vaccine was given in India. The initiative to eradicate polio from the country came in the form of the Pulse Polio Campaign launched by the government. Under this extensive drive, 2 drops of Oral Polio Vaccine was given to all children younger than 5 years of age. The last reported case of polio in India was in West Bengal in January, 2011. In 2014, India was declared polio-free. Over the years, immunisation has proved to be the most vital tool in controlling and eliminating life-threatening infectious diseases. On this edition of IN DEPTH, we'll talk about the significance of immunisation in detail, the relevance and purpose of Vaccination Day and the various immunisation programmes in India. We'll also give you a brief history of when and how the Immunisation Programme was launched in the country. Anchor - Teena Jha #InDepth