As part of the Centre’s plan to achieve universal immunisation in the country by 2020, Tamil Nadu will be targeting pockets where children have not been vaccinated. The programme will commence on April 7 – World Health Day – in eight districts.
According to Director of Public Health K. Kulandaisamy, some parents worry about the adverse effects following immunisation. “Our vaccines pass through several rounds of quality control and testing and our doctors, anganwadi workers and medical professionals are well-trained in handling fevers and pain post immunisation,” he said.
The programme – Mission Indradhanush Special Immunisation Campaign, 2015 – also aims at spreading awareness on vaccinating children. He was speaking at a sensitisation programme on Friday.
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The campaign, which will go on for a over week each in April, May, June and July will be conducted in Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Tirunelveli, Kancheepuram, Madurai, Vellore, Tiruvallur and Virudhunagar.
It will cover unvaccinated and partially-vaccinated children up till the age of two, as well as pregnant women. Approximately, one lakh children are targeted for tetanus toxoid, BCG, OPV, pentavalent, measles, Japanese Encephalitis and DPT vaccination.
The mission is supported by WHO, UNICEF and Rotary International. J. Radhakrishnan, health secretary said, “Migrant population, children living in remote areas and those in construction sites and brick kilns will be targeted.”
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C. Vijaya Baskar, health minister, said the programme would help the State minimise diseases. Arun Dhobal of UNICEF and Ashish Sathapathy of WHO spoke.
The campaign will be held in Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Tirunelveli, Kancheepuram, Madurai, Vellore, Tiruvallur and Virudhunagar