Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health Minister Naba Kisore Das launched a statewide immunisation program of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) for infants below 5 years on Wednesday.
The vaccine will protect children with low immunity and malnourished children from Pneumonia and other Pneumococcal diseases.
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.