BHUBANESWAR: The State Government is gearing up for administering a new vaccine for Measles-Rubella (MR) to children between nine months to 15 years of age from January. The vaccine prepared by Pune-based Serum Institute of India will be launched as part of the State’s routine immunisation programme and replace the two doses of measles vaccine given to children at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age.
At State-level workshop conducted here recently, the health officials have chalked out strategies for proper implementation of intensified MR vaccination campaign in which nearly 1.25 crore children are expected to be covered. A health official said the vaccination drive would help in accelerating reduction of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). “Asha worker, ANMs and paramedical staff have been trained for the vaccination of children,” he said.
Measles is a deadly disease and one of the important causes of mortality in children. Rubella is generally a mild infection, but it has serious consequences if infection occurs in pregnant women, causing congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).This time apart from all frontline health workers, the Health and Family Welfare Department decided to include caregivers, community leaders, teachers and anganwaadi workers in the vaccination campaign to achieve high success rate.
Though the vaccination drive would be conducted in all 30 districts, the priority districts would be Malkangiri, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Jajpur and Puri where Japaneses Encephalitis cases were reported last year besides other tribal-dominated districts including Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Boudh.Meanwhile, the State Government has formed a rapid response team for the vaccination drive. The team will monitor the activities of the health personnel involved in the programme and ensure smooth implementation of the vaccination campaign.
“The drive will be taken up in a mission mode as the Government is committed to eradicate measles and rubella from the State. Polio, measles and rubella are the three diseases found in humans only and transmitted by humans,” the official added.As per the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS), Odisha is one among top five States which have recorded highest vaccination coverage. While highest 94 per cent children have received BCG vaccination, followed by polio 83 per cent, DPT 89 per cent and measles 88 per cent, more than three-fourth of children received all basic vaccinations.
