Muzaffarpur, Jan. 18: The state government has decided to launch the second round (booster dose) of measles vaccination to protect children of the northern districts from viral fever and diarrhoea.

The booster dose is a supplementary injection of a vaccine given to maintain the immunisation provided by an earlier dose. The first round of vaccination was launched in 2008-2009.

The district immunisation officer, Dineshwar Prasad Singh, told The Telegraph the special round of measles vaccination would be started from February 15. Health department principal secretary Amarjeet Sinha told The Telegraph the catch-up round for measles would be launched in various districts in a phase-wise manner to put a curb on the outbreak of the disease.

“The booster dose ensures increased immunisation shield. Hence, we keep launching these drives on a zonal basis every few months. It is now the turn of some of the districts in the northern part of the state, which include Muzaffarpur,” he added.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP), eastern zone, in the wake of rise in encephalitis cases in districts of north Bihar every year, had recommended the ministry of health and family planning to administer a second dose of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination to check recurring incidences of encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, viral fever and diarrhoea. But the ministry turned a blind eye to the cries of the IAP and WHO. Instead, it asked the state government to launch an immunisation campaign for measles.

This time, the Union health ministry made it clear to the state government that measles vaccines would be administered to children in the age group of nine months to 10 years. Earlier, children till five years were vaccinated.

Claiming that he had prepared a micro plan to start the second round of vaccination, Prasad said he had studied the ongoing measles immunisation in Chhapra and Siwan, launched in December 2011. Prasad added that the health department would concentrate on countryside areas, where children are generally undernourished.

The chief medical officer of Muzaffarpur, Giyan Bhushan, told The Telegraph the state government’s initiative for the second round of immunisation is essential to check the recurring threat of encephalitis-like diseases. The head of paediatrics department of Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital Dr Braj Mohan said 35 per cent of children died of viral fever, diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases in the past year.

The second dose is needed to protect children who did not respond to the first dose. It is also an opportunity to give the first dose of vaccine to children who never had the vaccine earlier. All children should have both doses of the vaccine. Two doses provide adequate protection.

Transmission of the measles virus is caused by respiratory droplets or through direct contact. Measles virus reduces immunity. Kids can die of pneumonia, diarrhoea and of encephalitis.