Parents Weigh Cost, Coverage in Child Vaccination Choices
Newborn vaccination has become a key concern for parents, with noticeable differences between what government healthcare facilities provide and what is available in private hospitals
Awareness around vaccination in India gained momentum during the rise in polio cases, when the World Health Organisation urged countries to carry out large-scale immunisation drives. India, which had a high burden of polio at the time, followed suit. Over the years, this emphasis on vaccination expanded, with immunisation certificates becoming mandatory for children travelling abroad. .
Today, newborn vaccination has become a key concern for parents, with noticeable differences between what government healthcare facilities provide and what is available in private hospitals. Some parents in Hyderabad say government facilities do not offer the full range of vaccines, forcing them to rely on private hospitals to complete the schedule. Private hospitals typically follow not only the National Immunisation Schedule (NIS) but also an additional schedule recommended by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, which includes six more vaccines for influenza, typhoid, varicella, MMR, HPV and hepatitis A, according to a paediatrician from a private hospital.
Parents also stated that private hospitals are advertising pain-free vaccines, at a hefty price costing around 6000-10000 INR per schedule, excluding consultation fees. The cost of these vaccines vary depending on the brand of the vaccine.
Explaining the difference, a paediatrician stated that, “Painless vaccines are acellular vaccines. Private hospitals provide acellular vaccines, whereas the Government of India provides whole-cell vaccines. These acellular vaccines do not give side effects or fever.” He added that while whole-cell vaccines use inactivated bacteria, acellular vaccines contain specific purified protein subunits, which may result in fewer side effects but require additional booster doses.
Dr Vittal Kumar Kesireddy of CARE Hospitals said that “Pain-free vaccines are designed to cause less pain and fewer side effects.” He noted that “the first year is very important for a baby’s immunity,” and added that advances in technology have led to combination vaccines that protect against multiple diseases in a single shot. While this can make vaccination appear expensive, it reduces the number of injections and helps build immunity early. He also pointed out that hospitalisation due to preventable infections would cost significantly more than vaccination.
However, another medical professional opined that government vaccines may be preferable in some cases, as they are administered in large volumes and are less likely to be stored for long periods, unlike in some private settings.
Doctors emphasise that timely vaccination is more important than the choice between government and private facilities. While both systems have their advantages, the decision ultimately rests with parents.
This Article is Written By Yoga Adithya and Naga Adithya, interns at Deccan Chronicle.
