In accordance with the 2016 WHO theme of ‘close the immunisation gap for vaccine preventable diseases in children’, IAP Immunize India Vaccine reminder programme has received more than 1 million registrations across India making it the largest national healthcare initiative of its kind to increase immunisation compliance. It also makes it the world’s single largest vaccine alert programme.

The programme is aimed at protecting children from vaccine preventable diseases in India like pneumonia, diarrhea, diphtheria, pertussis, tuberculosis, measles and tetanus. Parents can register their child by sending an SMS to the national short code 566778 with the child’s name and date of birth. Text message reminders based on IAPCOI prescribed immunisation schedules will be sent to the phone for 12 years.

Conceived by Immunize India Charity in March 2014, the vaccine reminder programme ‘IAP Immunize India’ launched in partnership with Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) is a free-of-cost SMS based vaccination reminder service nationally available across all mobile networks in India. ‘IAP Immunize India’ messaging costs are supported by its telecom partner Vodafone and its field promotion is supported by an education grant from Pfizer.

The Union health ministry is also reviewing the programme for further scale up to be expanded to all the healthcare institutions across the country.

According to experts associated with the development, prompted by distressed parents dilemma of delayed or missed immunization for their children, IAP Immunize India has increased immunisation coverage and reduced vaccine preventable deaths among children below 5 years in Mumbai alone. Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Kalyan recorded 1,12,000 registrations which means that an estimated 35,000 additional vaccinations would otherwise have been missed.

Highlighting the success of IAP Immunize India, Dr Ranjan Kumar Pejaver, principal trustee, Immunize India Charity said, “Vaccination reminder services have been effective in several countries in increasing immunisation compliance by 20 per cent. It is a simple, free SMS service which needs only mobile phone with network. It has access across India on all networks equipped with clear, concise SMS messages through a software based auto-SMS system which follows IAP immunisation schedule. The system is modifiable to new schedules and subscriber has the liberty to join or leave it anytime. It provides 3 reminders in a week when the vaccine is due and continues giving vaccination reminders for 12 years.”

The University of Kentucky, USA had in the past approached IAP to implement a pilot programme seeing its success in India. Observing a 48 per cent increase in immunisation compliance, the university want it to be extended to Kentucky State with a grant from American Academy of Pediatrics. There is interest and enquiries from organisations to license the product and replicate the model in Brazil, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Kenya.

On account of World Immunisation Week (April 24 to 30), IAP and Immunize India Charity have joined hands to discuss challenges and solutions to close the immunisation gap in accordance with the 2016 WHO theme. They also highlighted milestones achieved by their joint programme ‘IAP-Immunize India’.

India’s Immunisation coverage compared to its developed neighbors is very low. Annually, vaccine preventable diseases account for over 1.5 million deaths and about 1 million disabilities in children below 5 years in India. It is important to administer vaccinations for the top life-threatening vaccine preventable diseases in India such as pneumonia, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, rotavirus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.

Talking about the concerns of low Immunisation rate in India, Dr. Pramod Jog, national IAP president said, “In India, the percentage of children between 12 to 23 months of age who received all recommended vaccines on time is just 51.6 per cent. A major reason is that parents do not maintain a vaccination calendar and often forget to vaccinate the child on time in a disciplined manner. This default is observed in both urban and rural areas. 14 per cent of infants who come in contact with immunisation services to receive their BCG vaccine do not receive their measles vaccine scheduled at 9 months.”

Many children below 5 years do not receive regular pneumococcal vaccines. These lapses are responsible for increased rates of child morbidity and mortality in India which can definitely be avoided.

Dr Uday Pai, consultant pediatrician, AANGAN, Chembur, Mumbai said, “Immunisation is one of the most successful and cost effective means to help children grow into healthy adults. No child should be denied the right to immunisation for unfair reasons, including economic or social causes.”

The IAP Immunize India campaign aims to increase the immunisation coverage in India by creating awareness of its programme using media and seeking co-operation from allied organisations such as obstetric, midwifery, nursing and other medical associations.  Software upgrades, development of apps and audio visuals is another goal to enable multi-lingual SMSs and better access to the programme. Immunize India Charity is also focusing to provide the expertise needed to implement the programme in interested countries wishing to improve immunisation coverage.

Since almost every adult in urban and rural areas has a mobile phone, the SMS reminder service is the most cost effective reminder method that a vaccination is due.