Mission Indradhanush launched in five districts

Vaccines to be provided to pregnant women and children for seven diseases

Mission Indradhanush, the flagship programme of the Union government to ensure immunisation of children and pregnant women, was launched in five districts on Tuesday.

Municipal Administration and Minority Affairs Minister Qamarul Islam launched the programme in Kalaburagi. The Minister said Indradhanush would help bring down infant and maternal mortality rates.

As many as 22,657 children and 5,481 pregnant women would be covered.

Immunisation

Indradhanush, representing seven colours, will cover diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B and antigens or vaccines would be provided for them during the drive. There will be four rounds of vaccination between April and July, with each round having seven consecutive working days beginning on 7th of the month.

Mortality rate

The intensified immunisation campaigns in the selected districts would help reduce morbidity and mortality due to disease that can be prevented by vaccines.

Deputy Commissioner Manoj Jain launched the programme in Yadgir. As many as 7,338 children and 2,726 pregnant women had been identified in the district.

Deputy Commissioner S. Sasikant Senthil launched it in Raichur. Officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department said 474 vaccination centres had been established in 647 villages across the district apart from 83 mobile-centres.

P.T. Parmeshwar Naik, Minister of State for Labour and Ballari district in-charge, launched the drive in Ballari district. The Health department has identified 1,273 pregnant women and 5,006 children to be covered under the programme. As many as 254 vaccination centres have been opened all over the district to make the programme successful.

Teams

At Koppal, Raghavendra Hitnal, MLA, who launched the immunisation drive, underlined the need for the officials of the Health Department to cover unvaccinated/partially vaccinated children to protect them from the deadly diseases.

As many as 4,443 children would be covered in the district for which 240 teams had been formed, Srikant Basur, district health officer, said.

Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Ballari, and Koppal have been covered

There will be four rounds of vaccination between April and July