Lok Sabha Question No. 979 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-03
Subject: Surveillance Mechanism for Vaccine
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Srinivas Kesineni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA ADMITTED UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 979 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03 rd  DECEMBER, 2021

## SURVEILLANCE MECHANISM FOR VACCINE

## 979.  SHRI KESINENI SRINIVAS:

Will the MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- a) whether the Government has put in place a surveillance mechanism to monitor and analyse the disease burden  arising  from  vaccine  preventable  diseases,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor;
- b) the  details  of  the  disease  burden  of  vaccine  preventable  diseases  in  India,  categorised  age-wise  and disease-wise;
- c) whether the Government is aware of the cost reductions in health expenditure arising from preventive care, if so, the details thereof;
- d) whether the Government proposes to introduce adult vaccination programme/policy in India, if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor; and
- e) whether  the  National  Technical  Advisory  Group  on  Immunisation  (NTAGI)  has  the  mandate  to recommend measure for adult vaccination and if so, details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (e): Integrated  Disease  Surveillance  Programme  (IDSP)  monitors  epidemic  prone  diseases including vaccine preventable disease across the country. National Public Health Support Network (NPSN) carries  out  surveillance  for  Measles  &  Rubella,  Acute  Flaccid  Paralysis  (for  polio)  nationwide  and  for Diphtheria, Pertussis and Neonatal Tetanus sub nationally.

As  per  National  Public  Health  Support  Network  (NPSN)  data,  details  of  disease  burden  of  Diphtheria, Pertussis, Measles, Neonatal Tetanus, Poliovirusand Rubella in India, categorized age wise and disease wise is placed at annexure A .

The National Health Policy 2017 recognizes the importance of investment in preventive care  as a part of primary healthcare and its effect in reducing the cost of healthcare.

National  Technical  Advisory  Group  on  Immunization  (NTAGI)which  is  the  apex  advisory  body  on immunization to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare& it has the mandate to recommend measures for adult vaccination as detailed below:

'The NTAGI shall also establish and appropriately revise, a list of vaccines for administration to children and adolescents, adults, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals eligible to receive vaccines  through  the  Universal  Immunization  Programme  (UIP),  along  with  schedules  regarding  the appropriate dose and dosing interval, and contraindications to administration of the vaccines'.

## Vaccine Preventable Diseases burden age wise and disease wise

| Vaccine Preventable Diseases   | Measles cases*   | Measles cases*   | Rubella cases*   | Rubella cases*   | Diphtheria cases**   | Diphtheria cases**   | Pertussis cases**   | Pertussis cases**   |
|--------------------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|----------------------|----------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| Year                           | 2020             | 2021             | 2020             | 2021             | 2020                 | 2021                 | 2020                | 2021                |
| Total number of cases          | 5499             | 4314             | 1400             | 1323             | 1843                 | 1315                 | 390                 | 408                 |
| Age wise distribution          |                  |                  |                  |                  |                      |                      |                     |                     |
| <2 year                        | 2326             | 2065             | 549              | 629              | 142                  | 130                  | 161                 | 171                 |
| 2-5 year                       | 1095             | 843              | 225              | 255              | 331                  | 260                  | 88                  | 56                  |
| 5-10 year                      | 1066             | 690              | 331              | 212              | 819                  | 526                  | 90                  | 51                  |
| 10-16 year                     | 465              | 355              | 172              | 105              | 401                  | 248                  | 42                  | 26                  |
| >16 year                       | 547              | 361              | 123              | 122              | 150                  | 151                  | 9                   | 104                 |

(Data source: National Public Health Support Network (NPSN))

*Data as on 15 Nov'21

- ** Data as on Oct'21(DPT surveillance is subnational)
-  A total number of 81 and 64 cases of neonatal tetanus were reported in 2020 and 2021 respectively and all these cases of neonatal tetanus (by definition) are under 28 days ofage of the child.
-  India  had  reported  last  wild  poliovirus  case  in  January  2011,  since  then  India  is  maintaining  its polio-free status.

## Annexure A