BENGALURU: Intensified Mission Indradhanush 5.0, a vaccination programme, was launched at Austin Town Maternity Hospital, Shantinagar, by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday.
Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 5.0 focuses on reaching children aged between 0 and 5 years, and pregnant women who have missed vaccine doses. They will be covered under the universal immunisation programme.
“Under IMI 5.0, children and pregnant women who are deprived of vaccination due to reasons such as Covid-19, illness and migration, will be covered,” Shivakumar said.
According to doctors at the Palike, some diseases can be prevented only by vaccination, like diphtheria, polio, tuberculosis, measles, Hepatitis B, pneumonia and others. Haemophilus influenzae Type B, which causes meningitis, can also be blunted through vaccination.
BBMP, which organised the IMI 5.0 campaign, has identified 1,487 unvaccinated pregnant women and 7,467 unvaccinated 0-5 year-old children for the first round of vaccinations, to be held from August 7 to 12. The second round will be held from September 11 to 16, and the third round from October 9 to 14. The drive will be especially effective for measles and rubella.
In all, 1,067 vaccination camps, including 114 mobile teams, will be deployed for six days at BBMP Anganwadi, health institutions and community centres.
Administrator Rakesh Singh, Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath, Special Commissioner (Health) Dr KV Thrilok Chandra, Joint Commissioner, Chief Health Officer (Public Health) Dr Balasunder, Chief Health Officer (Clinical) Dr Nirmala Buggi and others were present.