A Measles and Rubella campaign (MR campaign) will be held for immunisation of children in the target age group all over the district from August 1 to 8.
Though vaccination of children against measles was being covered under the national immunisation programme, this was for the first time that rubella was introduced in the national immunisation programme, District Medical and Health Officer N. Uma Sundari told the media here.
Measles affects young children and is life threatening. The symptoms of measles include: fever of 38.3 degree C or more, cough, running nose and red watery eyes besides red blotchy rash all over the body. Rubella virus not only affects children but grown up children up to the age of 15 years. The symptoms include red blotchy rash, mild fever, headache and pinkish eyes. Rubella can lead to death in rare cases.
Dr. Uma Sundari said when a pregnant woman is affected by rubella, it could lead to hearing problems and blindness in her child. This congenital rubella would cause economic and social problems in the future generation. The Government of India has decided to eradicate measles and to control rubella by 2020. The immunisation programme for some of the States was being done in the first phase, while Andhra Pradesh was included in the second phase.
The vaccine would be administered at all schools – both government and private – and at Angawadi centres for children between 9 months and 15 years of age. Later, those children not enrolled in schools and anganwadis would be covered. Dr. Uma Sundari said the target was to immunise 10 lakh children in the district and the vaccine doses were already requisitioned.
