These days I am wary of most schemes launched by the government. In the past years, I have seen so many schemes ending up in the cold storage, or not living up to the promise, that I cross my fingers the moment the state government announces one. Take for instance the latest five-in-one vaccine, which the government is promising to provide free of cost in all the districts of the state from December.
The vaccine provides protection against five life-threatening diseases – diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and Hib (haemophilus influenza type b). The government claims that the vaccine will be available free of cost at public health institutions and through the state’s routine immunisation programme.
Don’t get me wrong, no one will be more happy than me if this scheme works out. Hib is the primary cause of childhood pneumonia and meningitis, while DPT (diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus) and hepatitis B are already part of the national routine immunisation programme. Pneumonia is one of the largest killers among children aged one month to five years. This vaccine will not only prevent morbidity associated with pneumonia and meningitis, but also avert thousands of deaths due to these diseases annually. Under the current immunisation programme, a child requires nine injection pricks for different vaccination. But the pentavalent vaccine will reduce the number of pricks to just three.
Sounds extremely good, but I am scared that it will end up like the free drug de-addiction campaign, which now needs to be bought by everyone, including the poor. The free medicines were available to drug addicts for only a fortnight. I still remember the fanfare with which the government announced the free medicine scheme for drug-addicts.
So, I hope the government successfully implements the programme as it will save the lives of hundreds of children. Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Haryana have already launched the programme. I see no reason why Punjab can’t do it. All we need is the sincerity and commitment to sustain it for years.