Immunising the elderly is crucial in disease prevention, say experts

Experts stress importance of vaccination for elderly in India, focusing on health promotion, disease prevention, and vaccine administration.

Vaccination is a crucial yet often overlooked health measure for the elderly in India. Despite the absence of a dedicated national immunisation schedule for vaccinations among the elderly in the country, doctors stress the need for proactive administration of vaccines to protect older adults from preventable diseases. 

In response, elder care also extends beyond vaccination to include physical activity, nutrition, mental health support, and chronic disease management, doctors said at the webinar “Prevention of Illness: Immunising the Elderly” organised by Naruvi Hospitals, Vellore in collaboration with The Hindu on Sunday, as part of the ‘Healthy India, Happy India’ webinar series. This is the sixth in a series of 15 webinars aimed at promoting health awareness and disease prevention, and it featured four subject experts.

Kurien Thomas, senior consultant, physician, and clinical epidemiologist, Naruvi Hospitals, Vellore introduced the importance of immunising the elderly. Dr. Thomas emphasised the importance of the pneumococcal, Hib, and hepatitis vaccines in elder care, and pointed out that 50% of severe pneumonia cases occur in the elderly, making vaccination a life-saving measure. Pneumonia remains a major health burden, with 156 million cases globally and 800,000 deaths annually in India.

Dilip Mathai, senior consultant in infectious diseases, Naruvi Hospitals, presented an overview of different vaccines and guidelines for immunisation of the elderly. Dr. Mathai also addressed vaccine hesitancy, citing a survey that found 60% of adults believed there were better ways to protect their health than vaccination, while 43% felt they were not at risk of falling ill.

Soumendra Nath Haldar, Assistant Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases and Advanced Microbiology, School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata spoke on vaccines for food and waterborne diseases. He stressed the need for vaccine clinics to provide immunisation for these diseases. He also explained the importance of proper storage, and cost-effective administration of vaccines.

Vasant C. Nagvekar, infectious diseases consultant, H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, and the Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai explained the need for more vital vaccines in healthcare for the elderly. He emphasised the necessity of annual influenza vaccines, shingles (herpes zoster), varicella zoster (chickenpox), coronavirus, and H5N1 (avian flu) vaccines for ageing adults.

The experts also addressed cost barriers, and called for better health insurance coverage to prioritise immunisation in the elderly. The presentations concluded with an interactive Q&A session, where the panel addressed queries from the audience on accessibility, efficacy, and affordability of vaccines for adults and the elderly.