India launches inaugural dengue vaccination drive with two-dose regimen

India has initiated its first dengue vaccination programme, marking a significant step in the country's efforts to combat the disease that affects millions annually. The immunisation drive has been launched in Tenakasi district of Tamil Nadu, with Tamil Nadu Health Minister K.G. Arunrajah overseeing the rollout.

The vaccination protocol involves administering two doses of the dengue vaccine with a three-month interval between injections. Health authorities have indicated that the two-dose regimen is capable of providing protection levels reaching up to 80 percent against dengue infection.

The initiative comes as dengue cases continue to surge across India during monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The four-serotype dengue virus remains a persistent public health challenge, with the disease causing substantial morbidity and occasional mortality among affected populations.

The vaccination programme represents a shift toward preventive measures in India's dengue management strategy. State health officials are expected to monitor the efficacy and safety outcomes of the drive to determine feasibility for wider rollout across other districts and states.

Experts view the introduction of dengue vaccination as a complementary intervention alongside existing vector control and surveillance measures aimed at reducing disease transmission across the region.

Photo: A female Aedes aegypti mosquito, the species that spreads dengue, 2006. James Gathany, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain).