‘Mission Indradhanush’ to take off in Odisha from April 7

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 20:

Union government’s pan-India vaccination programme ‘Mission Indradhanush-201’ targeting partially-vaccinated and unadministered children will be launched in Odisha on April 7 in its first phase where ten districts from Odisha will be part of it.

vaccinationIn Odisha, Boudh, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Khurda, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nuapada, Rayagada and Kandhamal districts have been identified where vaccination would be taken up.

A state task force for immunisation under the leadership of state Health Secretary Arati Ahuja convened a meeting at the department’s conference hall yesterday.

‘‘Immunisation is necessary to improve the immunity against several diseases and such drives are vital to make the infants healthier,’’ Arati Ahuja said.

Notably, a nodal officer will be entrusted with the responsibility to guide and monitor the progress of the mission in their respective districts.

Immunisation will be taken up in areas where children are afflicted with measles and other diseases, ANMs are on leave for more than three months or the posts are lying vacant, immunisation camps have not been held for three consecutive times or turnout is low. The mission targets to achieve full vaccination in these identified areas over a period of two years.

‘Mission Indradhanush-201’ covers 201 districts in 28 states across the country in the nationwide vaccination drive.

‘Mission Indradhanush’ will provide protection against seven life-threatening diseases (diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B). In addition, vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis and Haemophilus influenza type B will be provided in selected districts of the country. Vaccination against tetanus will be provided to the pregnant women.

Four special vaccination campaigns will be conducted from 7th of every month staring from April, 2015 and this will cover all children less than two years of age and pregnant women for tetanus toxoid vaccine in these selected 201 districts.

Director of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Roopa Mishra, Family Welfare Department Director Dr Nirmala Kumari Dei, representatives of WHO and Unicef and other departmental staff were present in the meeting.

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