NEWS
- 10 March | ForumIAS Residential Coaching (FRC) Student secures Rank 6 in CSE 2025! →
- 10 March | SFG Folks! This dude got Rank 7 in CSE 2025 with SFG! →
- 10 March | SFG Folks! She failed prelims 3 times. Then cleared the exam in one go! Watch Now! →
- This season’s first death due to diphtheria in Delhi has caused an alarm with doctors assessing their preparedness.
- This death took place in spite of the diphtheria vaccine is among the oldest vaccines in India’s Universal Immunisation Programme.
- Diphtheria is an infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheria,a bacterium.The primary infection is in the throat and upper airways.Diphtheria is fatal in only 5-10% cases.
- Diphtheria particularly affects children aged 1 to 5 years. According to the National Health Portal,one type of diphtheria affects the throat and sometimes the tonsils.
- Another type causes ulcers on the skin which are more common in the tropics.In temperate climates diphtheria tends to occur during the colder months.
- In 1978,India had launched the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. The first three vaccines in the programme were BCG (against TB),DPT (diphtheria,pertussis,tetanus) and cholera.
- In 1985,the programme was converted to the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).DPT continues to be a part of UIP which now includes 12 vaccines.




