The government has given in-principle approval for inclusion of three new vaccines, including injectable polio vaccine (IPV) and rotavirus vaccine, in universal immunisation programme (UIP), Health Minister Harsh Vardhan told Rajya Sabha today.
The third vaccine to be included in UIP is rubella vaccine.
India has relied on oral polio vaccine (OPV) to successfully eradicate polio but OPV has very remote but real possibility of its virus turning virulent and IPV will also keep community's immunity level high, according to Vardhan.
Rotaviruses are a leading cause of severe types of diarrhoea among infants and young children.
Vardhan rejected suggestions that the Centre had delayed the introduction of IPV due to cost complications.
"In fact recently on 12 July, 2014, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommended IPV as an additional dose along with third dose of diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus in the country," he told the Upper House.
