Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, April 24: Citizens of the state flying to African and South American countries now need not travel out of the state to get themselves vaccinated for yellow fever.
AIIMS Bhubaneswar here Friday became the 28th approved centre in the country for yellow fever vaccination, and the first in the state.
Vaccination for yellow fever is essential before travelling to the said countries, where the incidence of the epidemic is high.
The other 27 vaccination centres are spread across major airports and port cities of India. Earlier, people of Orissa depended on centres in Kolkata and Hyderabad for the vaccine.
One can now visit the OPD complex of AIIMS’s periphery hospital every Monday between 9am to 1pm to avail the service. The cost of the vaccination will be `300. Passengers will have to carry their travel documents for verification.
“The ministry of health and family welfare sent a team to inspect the institution here. After the finalisation, two of our doctors were sent to Airport Health Organisation in Mumbai to receive training on yellow fever vaccination. The service has finally begun here today,” said Prabhas Ranjan Mishra, sub-dean AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
Yellow fever is an acute viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. It can also be confused with malaria, dengue, haemorrhagic fever, leptospirosis and viral hepatitis. There is no specific treatment for the disease apart from vaccination.
Yellow fever cases are not detected in India, but factors are conducive because of the presence of the Aedes mosquito and a large susceptible population.
In order to curtail the entry of the virus into India, the government has formed certain rules for passengers travelling to or from yellow fever pandemic areas.
