Children to get 'Rotarix' vaccine against diarrhea

Kathmandu - The government is placing vaccination drive to protect children from diarrhea for the first time. The Family Welfare Division under the Health Service Department is set to administer 'Rotarix' vaccine to children below five to protect from rotavirus diseases.

In-charge of the Child Health and Immunization Service Section under the Division, Dr Jhalak Sharma Gautam said the vaccination is being administered to check the incidents of child mortality increasing every year from diarrhea.

He further said annually 350,000 to 400,000 children suffer from diarrhea and nine percent among them lose their lives. The vaccination is to be administered to the children as 40 percent diarrheal cases occur due to Rota virus. Remaining 60 percent cases take place because of other virus, bacteria and parasites. He shared the 'Rotarix' vaccine has been supplied to all districts through the seven provinces to initiate administering the doses within mid-July.

Regular health volunteers would administer the vaccination to the children from 16,000 vaccination center. The vaccination will be administered to the children firstly in six weeks and secondly in 10 weeks. The quantity of the vaccine to be administered to children is 1.5 millimeter. "In average, a child suffers diarrhea at least two to three times a year", he said, adding dehydration caused by diarrhea take the lives of children.

The vaccination is therefore to be administered to check the mortality incidents of children. Section chief Dr Gautam further shared that the vaccination will be administered to newborn and children of six months. It may be noted that children are administered different 12 types of vaccines from the birth to 15 months free of cost.