The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine is directing on private doctors to ensure that they administer tetanus and adult diphtheria (Td) vaccines instead of the earlier tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine, especially in pregnant women. The directorate is carrying out a district-level meetings with private practitioners to ensure that the change is complete across the State.

Tamil Nadu moved from TT to Td vaccines last year during a diphtheria outbreak in Kerala a few years ago.Public health officials said that the shift was complete in the government sector but still there were a few gaps in the private sector, especially inimmunizing pregnant women.

The directorate, along with the World Health Organization team, Indian Medical Association, Indian Academy of Paediatrics and Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India, is organizing district-wise meetings with private practitioners. K. Kolandaswamy, director of public health, said that currently, the second round of meetings is under way.

A baby receives three doses of pentavalent vaccine that gives protection against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and HiB. The first DPT (Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus) booster shot is administered when it is 16 to 24 months old, followed by the second booster dose at five years. As per themodification in vaccination, a child receives Td vaccine at 10 years and at 16 years.

For pregnant women, the first dose of Td vaccine is administered at the time of registration, which is 12 weeks of pregnancy. The second dose is given a month later.

Public health officials have nodifficulty in covering children in government and government-aided schools. There needs to be more awareness for immunizing children in private schools. Many parents feel their children don’t need vaccines while growing up. Few of them don’t even bring the child for the second booster shot.

For improvingimmunization against diphtheria, the directorate has continued its initiative in private schools for the last three years. It was also taken up special drives in hill areas to cover children who had been left out.