Context

The Government launched the country's first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine ''Pneumosil'' developed by Serum Institute of India in collaboration with partners like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

About

What is Pneumonia?

• Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs. The infection causes inflammation in the air sacs in lungs, which are called alveoli.
• The alveoli fill with fluid or pus, making it difficult to breathe.
• Cause: Bacteria, viruses, and fungi cause it.
  • Bacteria:  Mycoplasma pneumonia, Streptococcus pneumonia, Legionella pneumophila
  • Virus: flu (influenza virus), cold (rhinovirus), Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
  • Fungi: Pneumocystis jirovecii

How threatening is the disease?

• Pneumonia is the single-largest infectious cause of death among children under five years, worldwide.
  • Pneumococcal disease is a significant contributor to the under-five mortality rate worldwide.
  • Annually India witnesses an estimated 71 per cent of pneumonia deaths and 57 per cent of severe pneumonia cases.
  • Every year, nearly 67,800 children under five years of age die from pneumococcal diseases and recognising its widespread fatality, WHO recommended the inclusion of PCV in routine childhood immunisation programmes in all countries.

The vaccine

• Pneumosil is similar as the paediatric pneumococcal vaccine already on the market and targets serotypes 1, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 19A, 19F and 23F, providing effective and long-lasting protection for children against pneumococcal diseases.
• It is WHO pre-qualified for its procurement by United Nations Agencies and GAVI, with its safety and immunogenicity profile favourably comparable to both currently available licensed and WHO pre-qualified PCVs worldwide.
• The vaccine targets the pneumococcal bacterium, which causes pneumonia and other serious life-threatening diseases such as meningitis and sepsis.
• The vaccine is aimed at improving pneumococcal conjugate vaccine affordability and enabling sustainable access for low- and middle-income countries.
• The vaccine makes SII the world’s third supplier of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) under the pneumococcal Advance Market Commitment (AMC), and the first developing country vaccine manufacturer to access the global PCV market.