With a view to eliminating measles and controlling of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2020, a month-long ‘measles and rubella vaccination’ campaign will be launched in the city on Tuesday.
Sharing the details of the national immunisation programme, DM&HO (in-charge) R. Ramesh said the aim was to administer the vaccine to about 10.75 lakh children (aged between nine months and 15 years), covering rural, tribal and urban areas in the district.
“Since the disease is highly infectious, Union government of India has taken up the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination drive to bring down the number of deaths caused due to the viral infections through the vaccination drive.
Trained Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) will be visiting more than 4,000 government schools and 1,200 private schools in the district to administer the vaccine to the targeted groups,” Dr. Ramesh said.
Surveillance medical officer of WHO D. Kiran said the campaign would help in bringing down the number of deaths due to measles substantially.
Apart from schools, vaccination facility is also available at Aganwadi centres, PHCs, government hospitals and 24 Mukhyamantri Arogya Kendras (e-urban primary health centres).
Flagging off the MR awareness rally organised on the Beach Road as a part of the campaign, District Collector Pravin Kumar said there was a need to eradicate measles and control the CRS from spreading.
