As per the health officials, a pentavalent vaccine is five individual vaccines conjugated in one intended to actively protect infant children from 5 potentially deadly diseases – Haemophilus Influenza type B, Whooping Cough, Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Diphtheria. It will replace three doses each of DPT and Hepatiatis B Vaccine given to infants before one year of age.
The vaccine will be available at all government hospitals, sub-centres and immunisation session centres across Odisha. Nirmala Dei, Director of Family Welfare said to media that the vaccine will reduce number of injection to 3 from 6 for infants.