Interactive workshop held on Covid-19 vaccination
ALIGARH : The District Unit of the World Health Organisation (WHO) organized an interactive workshop on “Covid-19 vaccination and carry forward its learnings to strengthen routine immunization (RI), vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and adverse event following immunization (AEFI) surveillance” at the Committee Room, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University.
Dr Vikas K. Gupta (Sub Regional Team Leader, WHO Country, India) and Dr Abdur Rahman (Surveillance Medical Officer, WHO Country Office, India) were the resource persons.
Discussing the National Immunization Coverage Trends, Dr Gupta informed that there was a quantum jump in Full Immunization Coverage to 14.4% from NFHS-4 to NFHS-5. India experienced a relatively large drop in coverage in 2020 (91% to 85%) as more than 1.32 million children missed DPT-3 vaccination in this year. About 65% (0.86 million) of these were only in UP, Bihar, Maharashtra and Jharkhand. However, immunization services continued as per COVID categorization of areas, using virtual methods to sensitize health workers on routine immunization and new vaccine introduction such as Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine and Polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs). He also shed light on the performance of Mission Indradhanush.
Dr Abdur Rahman elaborated on the Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) and especially the types of AEFI for Reporting. He explained four WHO cause-specific definitions of AEFIs that are vaccine product-related reaction, vaccine quality defect-related reaction, Immunization error-related reaction, and Immunization anxiety-related reaction and Coincidental event.
Prof. Haris M Khan, Principal and CMS, JN Medical College and Hospital, stressed the need to organise such programs on a regular basis.
Prof. Syed Ziaur Rahman, Coordinator, Medical Device Adverse Event and Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Centre conducted the programme. He said a large number of residents and teachers attended the workshop.