178 pregnant women, 1922 children to be immunised in Nagaland

The Intensified Mission Indradhanush 5.0 (IMI 5.0),programme is set to launch in the state on August 7

KOHIMA — The soon-to-be-launched Intensified Mission Indradhanush 5.0 (IMI 5.0), an immunisation programme, aims to immunise 178 pregnant women and 1922 children aged 0 to 5 years across Nagaland. The programme is set to launch in the state on August 7.

According to Dr. Imkongtemsu, the state immunisation officer, who interacted with media persons in Kohima on Thursday relating to the upcoming programme, the target for pregnant women to receive immunisation in IMI 5.0 is 178, while the target for age-group children is 1159 for 0-2 years and 763 for 2-5 years, and a total of 209 sessions will be conducted in 12 districts across the state.

He explained that IMI 5.0 aims to overcome barriers that have hindered vaccination coverage in the past by focusing on populations that have been left out of routine immunisation efforts, and unlike earlier rounds, this round of immunisation will cover all districts of the state, ensuring that no areas are left out.

To improve data accuracy, the Health Department has been conducting a headcount in all the villages, of which nearly 90% have been completed, he said, adding that the 2011 census data is not proper and doesn’t provide an accurate representation of the state population. According to him, the department wants to ensure it has accurate data on pregnant women and children, especially in the villages. 

He mentioned that they faced challenges in reaching out to the people as they resisted and were reluctant to take immunisations at times. 

The IMI 5.0 will also utilise the U-WIN application to go digital with the immunisation process. A pilot project in Peren (rural) and Dimapur (urban) went live in January this year. All 700 of India’s districts, including Nagaland’s, will go live on August 7 and be able to register their routine vaccinations online through the U-WIN platform.

Dr. NyanthungKikon, nodal officer of the National Urban Health Mission, highlighted on the occasion that the maternal mortality rate in Nagaland is relatively low, with only two maternal deaths reported last year, and mentioned that the immunisation programme will help prevent many diseases and improve the overall health of both the mother and child.

The state has conducted comprehensive training at various levels to emphasise the importance of reaching those who have not been vaccinated or are only partially vaccinated and incorporating them into the immunisation programme. 

The initiative prioritises children aged 0 to 5 years who have not received any vaccines, with the ultimate goal of providing life-saving vaccinations to all eligible children. Additionally, it contributes to the nationwide measles and rubella elimination efforts by ensuring that every child under five years of age completes the crucial two-dose schedule of measles and rubella-containing vaccine (MRCV).

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