Nagaland aims to eliminate measles rubella by December 2023

DIMAPUR — Along with the rest of the country, Nagaland is committed to achieve measles rubella (MR) elimination by December 2023. The goal is to achieve and sustain MR elimination with zero transmission of endemic measles and rubella (MR) cases and 95% vaccination coverage for MR vaccinations.

An update from the Health department informed that the state has undertaken coverage analysis to target areas with poor MR vaccination coverage and MR elimination drives during April and May and August and September. It added that a mop-up vaccination drive would be conducted from November 20 to the 30th.

It mentioned that MR vaccines are given to children as a 2-dose vaccine at 9 months (MR1) and at 16-24 months (MR2). When a child takes the first dose but fails to take the subsequent dose, it is called as left-outs or drop-outs. It stated that complete immunisation dose has to be taken to get full benefits of the vaccination.

It informed that for children who have missed MR1 and MR2, the vaccine could be given till the child is 5 years of age. It, therefore, stated that MR elimination drive is a vaccination drive for children in the age of 9 months to 5 years for MR1 dose and dropped out children for MR2 dose.

“As per the state data, the MR1 dose is at 96% and MR2 at 92% but there is inter-district variations and our goal is to ensure that all the districts achieve more than 95% coverage,” the statement read.

It stated that reaching out to those left-outs and drop-outs are its priority in ensuring that no child is left behind for life saving vaccination and complete protection against measles and rubella.

To bridge the gap, it stated that Nagaland has conducted three rounds of intensive vaccination rounds called Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) along with regular routine immunisation (RI) at the health units and special immunisation drives at certain districts, where cases were detected.

As per state monitoring data, most of the households that did not take the complete immunisation doses were attributed to fear of side effects and lack of awareness. It informed that getting a slight fever or redness or swelling at the injection site is normal as those reactions go away by themselves. However, if fever persists, caregivers should consult with the healthcare worker.

It has stressed on the need to work together in spreading awareness on importance of uptake of preventive services like vaccinations and mobilising caregivers to immunisation sites.

Report stated that advocacy and awareness are the key areas required in the community to create demand generation of services. It said that the community needs to know the importance of immunising a child at the right age to ensure full protection. It added that vaccines are available free of cost in all the government health facilities and that every unvaccinated or partially vaccinated child is at risk of life-threatening disease.

As strong support from the community is required to sustain the immunisation activities, the department has requested allied departments, faith-based organisations (FBO), civil society organisations (CSO), village council chairpersons, women leaders and members of IMA, IAP, IDA, Rotary, Lions Club and the community members to ensure all children under 5 years of age in the family or community complete their MR dose during the mop-up round being held in the government health units.

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