A Measles and Rubella vaccination campaign (MR campaign), for immunisation of children, was formally launched by Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao at the GVMC NMC High School at TPT Colony, Seethammadhara, on Tuesday.
Visakhapatnam North MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju, MLC PVN Madhav, District Medical and Health Officer R. Ramesh, District Education Officer Nagamani and District Immunisation Officer Jeevan Rani were among those who attended the programme.
Children of the school were vaccinated as part of the MR campaign, being organised in the district, from August 1 to 8. A single vaccine can prevent both the diseases.
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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.
Measles affects young children and is life threatening. The virus spreads from one person to another, when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
The symptoms of measles include: fever of 38.3 degree C or more, cough, running nose, diarrhoea and red watery eyes besides red blotchy rash all over the body.
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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.
DMHO Ramesh said parents having children in the age group of 9 months to 15 years should invariably get them vaccinated against measles and rubella.
This dose is in addition to the vaccination doses, which the children could already been administered earlier. If the child faces any problem, after administration of the vaccine, the parents should contact the centre, where the vaccine was administered or a government health centre for remedial action.
Dr. Ramesh said there were 10,76,956 children in the 9 months – 15 years age group.
The vaccine would be administered at 6,301 schools, 4,952 Anganwadi centres, 548 sub centres, 142 other centres and through 120 special teams in the district, the DMHO said.