Context: 

The projections for national immunization coverage for 2022 from WHO and UNICEF have recently been made public.

Key Highlights: 

Inclusion in India: 

• Current status: In 2022, India had 93 percent of its 22.5 million babies covered, against surpassing the previous pre-pandemic best of 91% recorded in 2019,  from the 85% recorded in 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Protection: A group of combination vaccines known as DPT protects against the three human infectious illnesses diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus.
• Doses: For kids under the age of 7, this vaccination is given to them in three doses.
• Benchmark in evaluation: When evaluating how well nations are doing at providing children with normal immunization services, the coverage of this vaccine is frequently employed.

About Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus(DPT)-

• Diphtheria:It is a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make a toxin.
  • Mode of spread:The  bacteria spread from person to person, usually through respiratory droplets, like from coughing or sneezing. People can also get sick from touching infected open sores or ulcers.
• Pertussis:Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a very contagious respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.
  • Mode of Spread:The bacteria that cause whooping cough spread easily from person to person through the air. When a person who has whooping cough sneezes or coughs, they can release small particles with the bacteria in them.
• Tetanus: Tetanus is an infection caused by a bacterium called Clostridium tetani. Spores of tetanus bacteria are everywhere in the environment, including soil, dust, and manure.The spores develop into bacteria when they enter the body.
  • Mode of Spread:Unlike other vaccine-preventable diseases, tetanus is not spread from person to person.The spores can get into someone’s body through broken skin, usually through injuries.

News Source: The Hindu

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