The government has issued guidelines to strengthen the immunization programme in Kerala. Health Minister Veena George said the guidelines were issued to avoid lapses in handling the 12 vaccines to be administered under the national immunization schedule and to streamline the vaccination process.
The guidelines stipulate that vaccination clinics or sessions should be organised only under the supervision of a medical officer. All children should be subjected to a medical examination before being administered vaccine and only trained health workers should be deployed for immunization. All vaccines and immunisation equipment should be checked before immunisation and the skin should be cleaned before vaccination.
Children and pregnant women should be kept under observation for at least 30 minutes post-vaccination. Government and private hospitals will be required to adhere to the national immunization schedule and the infection control protocol.
Hospitals have also been directed to contact the district reproductive child health officer in the event of an adverse event following immunization for surveillance and follow-up. Severe and serious cases have to be reported to the State-level AEFI committee.
