BHUBANESWAR: With more than 98 per cent coverage, Odisha has topped the list of States which have achieved above 90 per cent vaccination during the recently concluded Measles and Rubella (MR) campaign.Sources said of the targeted 1,12,25,634 children, aged between 9 months and 15 years, as many as 1,10,34,197 (98.3 pc) have been administered MR vaccine.While Mayurbhanj and Khurda districts recorded highest of 100.5 pc and 100.3 pc respectively, Nuapada district registered lowest at 95 pc.
State Immunisation Officer Dr KK Das said 13 districts, including some tribal-dominated pockets, have recorded above 99 per cent vaccination. “Mayurbhanj and Khurda have achieved above 100 pc as the floating population too has been taken into consideration,” he said.The districts which have achieved more than 99 pc coverage include Angul, Bargarh, Cuttack, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Koraput and Puri.
Apart from Odisha, a few other States, including Tamil Nadu have achieved above 90 per cent vaccination coverage. Odisha, however, has made it possible in less time. “While some States extended the campaign for more than seven weeks, we covered in six weeks despite sporadic agitations by Anganwadi, Asha workers and ANMs who played a crucial role during the campaign,” informed Dr Das.
The State, in fact, carried out a series of successful vaccination drives in the last seven months. While Mission Indradanush continued for four months followed by vaccination for Japanese Encephalitis, the State is now carrying out the second round of pulse polio immunisation after MR campaign. The five-week MR drive, initially planned till March 26, was extended till April 6 following requests from some private schools citing CBSE Class X board examinations.