There has been a high prevalence of dengue cases in India, especially in south India and places like Bhopal and West Bengal. Therefore, it is a matter of great solace that doctors are successfully working on a vaccine for the dreaded disease which has taken many lives.

A senior official of the Indian Council of Medical Research on Monday said that dengue vaccination will be introduced in India early next year on a demonstration basis in areas where the incidence of the disease is high.

Collaboration With Sri Lanka

ICMR Director General Prof (Dr) Balram Bhargava said that so far Sri Lanka has done exemplary work in containing Dengue. Although it has a very high incidence of dengue, the mortality rate is zero. India will adopt the methods Sri Lanka has used to tackle the disease and it is in the final stage of signing a collaboration with the island nation.

Systematic Approach

Bhargava said that the dengue vaccine will be launched in India as soon as they get the approval from the government and after all permissions and documentations are done properly. He said that they were looking at the use of demonstration projects for the dengue vaccine for the future in areas of high prevalence. The secretary to the department of health research, ministry of health and family welfare said that they have collaborated with the US and are going by the book and in a systematic way.

In a nation where thousands of people have been diagnosed with dengue and some are losing their lives to this fatal disease, a dengue vaccine is very welcome.