Dimapur, May 6 (EMN): Office of the chief medical officer (CMO), Wokha, organised a one-day district level orientation programme on Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in its conference hall with Dr. Shiela Longkumer, WHO state consultant as the resource person on May 6.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Shiela Longkumer informed that PCV would be rolled out soon in the state. She stated that the orientation programme was to prepare the healthcare workers for the immunisation process, an update the CMO’s office stated.
She mentioned that Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of deaths among children below the age of five years in the country. Informing that PCV has 80 percent efficacy, she stated that the same has been introduced in 146 countries across the globe in their national immunisation programmes.
Besides explaining the intervals for PCV dose, Dr. Sheila reminded the healthcare workers to handle adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) cases effectively.
“AEFI cases are rare in PCV but if any severe cases occur it should be reported,” she said. Dr. Sheila also encouraged the healthcare workers to deliver the four key messages and also involved Ashas during the immunisation process.
Report also stated that sessions on vaccine management, record keeping, formation of district AEFI committee, and communication strategy were taken during the one-day training.
In his welcome address, the CMO Dr. CW Tungoe urged the medical officers and block programme managers to focus on the training in turn impart the information at the block levels. He has also acknowledged Dr. Shiela for conducting the orientation programme.
The district level training programme was attended by district programme manager, medical officers, block programme managers and vaccinators.
