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Government Rolls Out Td Vaccine to Expand Protection Against Tetanus and Diphtheria

The Health Ministry replaces standalone tetanus shots with combined Td vaccine for adolescents and adults under national immunisation programme.

Government Rolls Out Td Vaccine to Expand Protection Against Tetanus and Diphtheria
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Photo: PIB 

The Government of India has introduced the Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) vaccine into its national immunisation framework, expanding protection against two potentially serious bacterial infections among adolescents and adults.

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda formally launched the vaccine on February 21, 2026, at the Central Research Institute (CRI) in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh. The vaccine will now replace the earlier Tetanus Toxoid (TT) shot in applicable age groups under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

Shift from TT to Td

Health authorities said the move aligns with recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and India’s National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI), which advise replacing the single-disease tetanus vaccine with a combined Td formulation.

While tetanus cases in India have significantly declined due to routine immunisation and maternal vaccination programmes, diphtheria outbreaks have been reported periodically in some states. Public health experts have pointed to waning immunity in adolescents and adults as a contributing factor.

The Td vaccine provides dual protection against tetanus and diphtheria, aiming to sustain immunity beyond childhood vaccination.

Supply Under Universal Immunization Programme

According to the Health Ministry, CRI Kasauli will supply approximately 55 lakh doses of the Td vaccine to the Universal Immunization Programme by April 2026. Production is expected to scale up in phases to meet national demand.

The Universal Immunization Programme, one of the world’s largest government-funded vaccination initiatives, currently provides free vaccines against multiple diseases, including polio, measles, hepatitis B and others.

Public Health Context

Immunity against diphtheria can decline over time if booster doses are not administered. The inclusion of the Td vaccine is intended to address this gap and maintain population-level protection.

Officials said the change also reflects a broader shift toward life-course immunisation — extending vaccination strategies beyond early childhood to include adolescents and adults.

The government has stated that the vaccine will be integrated into existing immunisation schedules without altering the broader structure of the programme.