Delhi Latest News: The Health Department of the Delhi Government has so far administered BCG vaccine to more than 50 thousand adults as part of its efforts to combat tuberculosis (TB) and reduce mortality due to it. In an official statement issued by the Health Department, it has been said that the main objective of the adult BCG vaccination study conducted under the National Tuberculosis Eradication Program (NTEP) is to bring out the adult patients falling in the high risk category in five districts of Delhi from its effect.  

Delhi's high-risk TB patients are concentrated in New Delhi, North-East, West, East and South Delhi. The health department said that the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, traditionally given to newborns, is now being used to explore its potential to reduce TB cases in adults (especially high-risk adults). 

Patients will be monitored for three years 

This study of the Delhi Government is part of an initiative taken by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Department of Health Research (DHR). 

Under this scheme of the Delhi government, till now about 50 thousand eligible adults have been given BCG vaccine in the targeted districts of Delhi. It has been said that during the study, the health of these people will be closely monitored in the next three years. 

What is the reason for less vaccination?  

In fact, keeping in mind the goal of making the country TB free, the period set for giving BCG vaccine to adults as a trial under the initiative of Central TB Division and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has ended. 

The target was to vaccinate about 15 lakh adults in five districts of Delhi in the stipulated period of three months, but only 46 thousand adults took the vaccine. That means 97 percent less people got vaccinated in the stipulated period. The reason for this is that people did not show much interest in this campaign.