Categories: Health Tips

Immunization: Foundation of Healthy Life

World Immunization Week – celebrated in the last week of April (24-30) – aims to promote one of the world’s most integral tools for health – the vaccines to protect individuals of all ages against disease.

Immunization is defined as the process where a person is made immune or resistant towards an infectious disease, by the use of a vaccine. Vaccines protect the person from infectious diseases by stimulating the body’s own immune system. Every year, millions of lives are saved thanks to immunization and it is recognised widely as one of the most successful and cost effective health interventions. However, nearly 20 million children are still unvaccinated and under-vaccinated worldwide.

India has taken a cue from World Immunization Week and hence on December 25, 2014, the Government of India launched its own immunization programme in campaign mode under the name of Mission Indradhanush. As a result of this, in 2015-16, 62% children in India aged 12-23 months received basic vaccinations, which a decade ago (2005-06) was 44%, according to the latest national health data⁽²⁾. Yet we have a long way to go to reach at least 90%, which is the quintessential goal.

On the topic of basic vaccines, the BCG vaccination which is given to children under five years and helps a child’s immune system fight the germs that cause TB disease. A WhatsApp message that got viral with the speculations that said this vaccination somewhere can act as 75% protection from COVID. However, this myth has been busted by WHO saying that there is no evidence that proves that the BCG vaccine protects people against COVID.

As team DigiQure , we are continuously working above and beyond on the dynamics of the healthcare industry. So we know that vaccination has had a complete manoeuvring impact on preventive healthcare. Thus, for pediatricians, DigiQure has a vaccinations tab, which has it all covered for them to maintain the vaccination records of those little ones and notify the caretaker parents with the timely reminders.

Meanwhile, we advise all the caretaker parents never to miss the vaccination schedules of your little ones as vaccines are the shields to protect your child’s health. Download the free DigiQure Patients App to schedule an appointment for your child’s vaccination due. We appeal the pediatricians as well to help these parents get their children vaccinated in an expedient manner even during this catastrophic situation.

The vaccinations have shown the world that all those diseases which were once qualified as inevitable are now vaccine-preventable. One such example is Polio. In a press release, the WHO Executive Director, Dr. Micheal J. Ryan stated that “India has tremendous capacity to combat COVID-19” referring to the fight we showed against Polio.

With that said, on this World Immunization Week, we recommend you to be assertive that the government is taking important steps and is deeply focused on combating COVID’19. We surely will have a vaccine for COVID soon, which at present is the holy-grail of the healthcare industry. When yet again vaccines will be proved as the most powerful tool for health to prevent the inevitable. All we’ve to do is keep ourselves calm and act wisely. This too shall pass and we will definitely emerge stronger than ever.

If you need any further professional help, DigiQure is at your service to connect you with the best healthcare providers around through Video consultation. It has extensively started connecting doctors with patients through Video consultations. So, install a free DigiQure Patients app on your android phone and consult with doctors. Contact us to know more.

Team DigiQure