Kerala's ₹50 Crore Boost: Elderly Vaccination Drive Launched

Kerala has taken a significant step towards adult immunisation by allocating ₹50 crore in its latest budget for vaccinating poorer elderly individuals against pneumococcal disease. This initiative is projected to rise from 18.7% to 23% by 2036.

Public health experts are advocating for the inclusion of the influenza vaccine alongside the pneumococcal vaccine to offer comprehensive protection against respiratory infections for the elderly population.

India has largely neglected adult vaccination, lacking national guidelines and robust surveillance data for vaccine-preventable diseases among adults. Older adults and those with chronic conditions are at high risk from infections like influenza and pneumococcal disease.

Vaccinating the elderly helps reduce disease incidence, hospitalizations, and mortality. Experts like Dr. B. Ekbal emphasize that influenza can facilitate secondary pneumococcal infections, leading to severe pneumonia and cardiovascular complications such as heart attacks and strokes.

Integrating influenza vaccination with the planned pneumococcal drive could lead to substantial economic savings for both the public and the government by reducing healthcare expenditure and caregiver burden.