Universal vaccination became part of government policy in 1978. A quarter of a century since, progress has been fitful. In some parts of the country the south especially progress has been impressive, but in two of the most populous states Bihar and

Emerging scenarios, new dilemmas

It has long been known that 20 gene regulators control the development of blood cells from blood stem cells in the bone marrow. All these regulators have a common genetic element, called PU.1, which plays a crucial role in regulating blood cell formation. PU.1 guides the development of two major blood cell lines of the immune system, namely the lymphocytes and the myeloid blood cells.

The National Population Policy (2000) aims at complete protection of all children against vaccine preventable diseases by 2010. Urban poor, many residing in slums, comprise about one-fourth of India’s 285 million urban population. 60% of the children aged 12-23 months in urban India are fully immunized; coverage among urban poor children is a dismal 43%.

Why are children developing polio even after inoculation?

the strongest acid: The world's strongest acid, at least a million times more potent than concentrated sulphuric acid, has been made in a lab in California. It is also one of the least corrosive.

A mass immunisation programme for children in the developing world who contract easily-preventable diseases