Have you heard tales from grandparents, of the times where diseases like small pox were prevalent and may have even claimed lives of their loved ones? Thankfully diseases like these are completely eradicated today. Our generations ahead are assured of a life of health, all because a concerted effort was taken across the world to work towards eradicating diseases that once claimed millions of lives.
When we were expecting our baby, we were curious about vaccination schedules. We Googled as most anxious parents-to-be and came across click bait articles which talked of risks of vaccinating but we chose to discuss the information with our doctor. He allayed our fears and assured us there were no such risks.
Benefits of vaccination are –
- To produce immunity – Vaccinations build antibodies to diseases such that if the vaccinated person comes in contact with an infected person or the virus, then his body is better able to fight the disease. This can range from serious diseases to seasonal diseases as well.
- Prevents spread of disease to vulnerable sections such as babies, pregnant women, the elderly, people with compromised immune systems or those undergoing treatments for serious illnesses such as cancer.
- Protect from multiple diseases – The combination vaccines protect from multiple diseases at the same time. They protect from 2, 3, and even 6 major diseases like Pertussis, Polio, Diphtheria, etc. When they have the tag of WHO’s pre-qualification, these vaccines promise to be a one stop solution for ensuring better health for our children. For more information on pre-qualification see below.
The most important thing to take note of is that vaccines are safe and can be trusted.
The World Health Organization that sets standards for healthcare also sets goals for vaccine spread and the quality of vaccines. Their primary objective is that vaccines should be safe and effective. They also scrutinize requirements for vaccine tenders, look at specifications such as potency, thermostability, labeling, shipping etc. They review production and set in place methods for quality control. The body is also responsible to ensure the right kind of immunization related equipment is used to administer it. This whole process is transparent, scientifically sound and is known as the pre-qualification program of the WHO.
When my baby was born, we decided to give him the best that we could. And the best was getting him vaccinated on time especially in the first year so that he stayed protected from all communicable and preventable diseases.
Wiser with information, we insisted that the vaccines being administered should only be WHO pre-qualified.
We also asked the doctor if there were vaccines that were less painful. Many of our friends, who were new parents themselves were anxious because of side-effects in their babies, like fever, loss of appetite, irritability, etc. The doctor told us about the acellular vaccines which cause less discomfort to the baby. This was reassuring to us because the comfort of the baby is paramount.
I chose WHO prequalified less painful acellular vaccines for my baby and you should too, if you want the best for your baby.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the blog content are independent and unbiased views of solely the blogger. This is a part of public awareness initiative supported by Sanofi Pasteur India. Sanofi Pasteur bears no responsibility for the content of the blog. One should consult their healthcare provider for any health-related information.
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