On a ‘PATH’-breaking initiative to develop vaccine for diarrheal diseases

With the aim to specifically cater to the Indian health scenario, the India chapter of Programme for Appropriate Technologies in Health (PATH), a global NGO working in 70 countries, is in the process of developing a vaccine for diarrheal diseases and a drug for treating the deadly Kala Azar disease. Tarun Vij, programme leader of PATH in India, speaking to Times of India (TOI) said that the rotavirus, which kills as many as 1.25 lakh children with severe diarrhoea in first five weeks of birth, needs to be tackled at war footing in all south Asian countries including India. Under its vaccine development programme, PATH is making efforts to develop a low cost, safe and effective vaccine. “The vaccine trials are in phase III of clinical trials,” added Vij, who was in the city to attend the pre-conference CME of a three-day national meet on women’s health. The conference, hosted by Preventive...