What is Immunization?
- Immunization, is the process by which an individual’s immune system becomes fortified against a foreign agent.
- The most important elements of the immune system are the T cells, B cells, and the antibodies B cells produce.
- Memory B cells and memory T cells are responsible for a swift response to a second encounter with a foreign molecule.
- Immunization is done through various techniques, most commonly vaccination. Vaccines against microorganisms that cause diseases can prepare the body’s immune system, thus helping to fight or prevent an infection.
Immunization is of 2 types. The are: Active Immunization & Passive Immunization.
Active immunization
- Active immunization can occur naturally when a person comes in contact with any foreign agent (Eg: microbe). The immune system will create antibodies and other defenses against the microbe.
- If the microbe attacks again, the immune response against this microbe can be very efficient. This is the case in many of the childhood infections.
Passive immunization
- Passive immunization is where pre-synthesized elements of the immune system are transferred to a person so that the body does not need to produce these elements.
- This method of immunization begins to work very quickly, but it is short lasting, because the antibodies are naturally broken down, and if there are no B cells to produce more antibodies, they will disappear.
- Passive immunization occurs physiologically, when antibodies are transferred from mother to fetusduring pregnancy, to protect the fetus before and shortly after birth.
Before Indradhanush & Why we need Indradhanush
- Government of India launched the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) in 1985, one of the largest health programs of its kind in the world.
- Despite being operational for over 30 years, UIP has been able to fully immunize only 65%children in the first year of their life and the increase in coverage has stagnated in the past 5 years to an average of 1% every year.
Child Deaths:
- Every year in India, 5 lakh children die due to vaccine-preventable diseases.
- Another 89 lakh children remain at risk, because they are either unimmunized or partially immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases.
Thus, full immunization is critical if we want to reduce child mortality and progress on socio-economic indicators.
So to strengthen the program and achieve full immunization coverage for all children at a rapid pace, govt launched Mission Indradhanush in December 2014. Mission Indradhanush will ensure that all children under the age of two years and pregnant women are fully immunized with all available vaccines.
Mission Indradhanush
Launch:
- It was launched by Union Health Minister J.P Nadda on December 25, 2014. It was launched on the birth anniversary of Madan Mohan Malaviya.
Aim:
