In a landmark move for public health in Northeast India, AIIMS Guwahati has inaugurated the region's first-ever adult immunisation clinic. This pioneering facility is set to safeguard adults and high-risk populations from a range of vaccine-preventable illnesses, addressing a long-standing void in the nation's healthcare framework.
Bridging a Critical Healthcare Gap
The clinic was officially launched on November 10, strategically coinciding with World Immunisation Day. The inauguration was led by Prof Ashok Puranik, the executive director of AIIMS Guwahati. He championed the clinic as a unique and essential addition to the region, perfectly aligning with this year's global immunisation theme: "Immunisation for All is Humanly Possible."
Prof Puranik explained that the concept was born from a clear and pressing need. While India's Universal Immunisation Programme has effectively focused on children and pregnant women, vaccination coverage for adults has remained severely lacking. "Adults continue to be vulnerable to diseases such as influenza, pneumococcal infections, hepatitis, HPV-related cancers, and tetanus," he stated, highlighting a significant oversight in the public health landscape.
Who Will Benefit from the Clinic?
The new facility is designed to cater to a wide demographic. Its services will be available to all adults over the age of 18, with a special focus on senior citizens above 60. It will also prioritize individuals with comorbidities like diabetes, COPD, cancer, and renal diseases. Furthermore, the clinic will serve healthcare workers, institutional staff, and high-risk occupational groups such as laboratory personnel.
According to doctors, with rising life expectancy and an increasing burden of chronic diseases, there is an urgent need to make preventive vaccination services a standard part of adult healthcare. The clinic's core mission is threefold: to provide easy access to adult vaccines, to raise awareness about the importance of immunisation beyond childhood, and to integrate vaccination into both preventive and occupational health frameworks.
Vaccines and Collaborative Care
The clinic will offer a comprehensive suite of core vaccines, including tetanus-diphtheria (Td), influenza, pneumococcal, hepatitis B, HPV, varicella, and Japanese Encephalitis (the latter based on regional risk), among others recommended by national and international health bodies. It will also specifically address the needs of special groups, such as immunocompromised individuals.
Dr Md Jamil and Dr Rashmi Agarwalla, the nodal officers for the clinic, have stressed the critical importance of these vaccinations for adult health. The facility will operate in collaboration with various other hospital departments and will remain open daily, except on Saturdays.
The inauguration event saw the presence of other key faculty members, including Prof Brian Shunyu (Medical Superintendent), Prof Bhupen Barman (HOD Medicine), Prof Saswati Tripathy (HOD Obstetrics and Gynaecology), and Prof Unmona Borgohain Saikia (Nursing Principal), underscoring the institution-wide support for this vital initiative.
