Davangere: In a significant public health push, Belagavi has emerged as the top-performing district in Karnataka under India’s first adult BCG vaccination drive aimed at tackling tuberculosis (TB). Launched three months ago across 15 districts on a pilot basis, the initiative has seen over 4.16 lakh adults vaccinated, including 2.21 lakh women, 1.94 lakh men, and 562 transgender persons.
Other top-performing districts include Kalaburagi, Bengaluru Urban, Vijayapura, and Davangere, while Dakshina Kannada ranks lowest in coverage so far.
The adult BCG vaccine is being administered to six high-risk groups:
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Individuals treated for TB in the past five years
Close contacts of TB patients
People aged over 60
Diabetics
Smokers
Those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) below 18
Despite this targeted approach, turnout remains lower than expected, according to health officials. For example, Davangere district has over 2.5 lakh eligible individuals, but only 30,546 have been vaccinated.
Dr Muralidhar P D, District TB Officer for Davangere, explained that BCG is not a new vaccine—it has long been administered to infants. However, this is the first time the adult population is being covered. He noted that each vaccine vial must be used within four hours of opening, requiring at least ten recipients per vial for efficient administration.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will monitor outcomes over the next three years, comparing the pilot districts with others in terms of new TB cases. The vaccinated individuals will be monitored every six months during this period.
Dr Muralidhar added that the vaccine, available at all general and primary health centres, may also offer protection against other respiratory illnesses such as Covid-19 and H1N1. While there are no major side effects, around 10% may experience pus formation, which subsides naturally and poses no serious health risk.
The success of the pilot may pave the way for statewide expansion of adult BCG vaccination in the future.