Bhubaneswar: To make the Measles-Rubella (MR) mega vaccination campaign successful, the state government Saturday asked the district magistrates (DMs) to ensure no children is left out of the immunisation programme.
Health and Family Welfare Secretary Pramod Meherda held a video conference with all district Collectors, Chief District Medical Officers (CDMOs) and concerned officials here at the Secretariat in this regard. The five-week MR vaccination campaign will commence January 29.
During the meeting, Meherda asked all CDMOs to work in coordination and seek support and suggestions from the respective officials if they have any doubt. He also instructed the officers to put all micro plans and arrangements in place to achieve 100 per cent success.
The campaigning will be undertaken as a part of the nationwide campaign to eliminate measles and control rubella/congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2020. Around 1.24 crore children in the age group of 9 months to 15 years in the state will be administered a single dose of vaccine during the drive, sources said.
The vaccination programme will be divided into three phases, he said. In the first phase, all schools will be covered, while children will be covered area-wise in the second phase. In the third phase, all other children will be vaccinated.
The new MR vaccine will replace the existing two-dose measles vaccination given to children in between 9 and 12 months and 16 and 24 months of age. Anganwadi workers, officials from Women and Child Development Department would be involved in the MR vaccination process.
PNN
