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VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1

EDITORIAL

Adult vaccination in India: A neglected health concern

Dr Richa Mahajan

Adult vaccination has received considerable attention in North American and European countries, but the focus still remains quite low in India. Immunisation holds immense public health importance. Our country has given considerable attention to childhood vaccination, thereby reducing the burden of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (VPDs) to a large extent. But adult vaccination also needs to be prioritised, as it can reduce the healthcare cost substantially. A large proportion of the Indian population is exposed to risk factors for infectious diseases like overcrowding, poor diet, low access to quality healthcare and inadequate sanitation. Older adults, especially those with an immunocompromised state, are at a higher risk. However, the impact of VPDs on India’s adult demographic remains underestimated largely due to the limited surveillance of VPDs among adults. The 2017–2018 estimates from nationally representative data for individuals aged 60 years and above indicate a considerably low vaccination coverage. For instance, pneumococcal vaccine coverage stands at 0.74%, while the highest uptake is observed for diphtheria and tetanus vaccines at only 2.75%. While most international health agencies have long endorsed paediatric immunisation against VPDs, the prioritisation of adult immunisation has lagged, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

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