‘State prepared for the measles vaccination campaign’

Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Sep. 13: With massive ongoing state-wide awareness campaigns on measles-rubella vaccination programme scheduled to be launched on October 3, department of health and family welfare today exuded confidence success of the programme.
Speaking to Eastern Mirror, National Health Mission director Dr. Kevichusa Medikhru expressed confidence that the campaign will be a success. “Yes, we are prepared,” he affirmed and called upon every parent to be ready for the vaccination of their children assuring them that it is safe and has been scientifically proved.

The state has been undertaking preparatory works for the mega MRVC in all the districts for the past months which will cover lakhs of children all over the state.
The mega campaign will be officially launched by the chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, on October 3, 2018.

Mentioning that the campaign aims at vaccinating every child from five months to 15 years in the state, he said that the campaign could go on for two to three months until every child is vaccinated.

“The vaccination will be carried out to children from nine months to 15 years. I want to assure all the parents that the vaccination is safe, which is scientifically proved and that parents should get their children vaccinated without any fear,” he stated.

When queried about the complaints from 25 school students in Assam of developing nausea, stomach ache, and fever after being administered with measles vaccine, the director maintained that it was all to do with anxiety and fear which led to the development of such cases. Medikhrü added that other children developed the same problems as they already had preconceived fear about contracting the same sickness.

The MR vaccination aims to rapidly build up immunity for both measles and rubella diseases in the community so as to prevent the disease.
Regardless of the previous immunisation status of measles or rubella vaccine, or whether the children have got measles or rubella, the children aged between nine months to 15 years are eligible for MR vaccination during the campaign.

Measles and rubella are air borne disease. The infection can spread from person to person through contact with droplets from an infected person’s sneeze or cough.
The best way to protect children from infection is to get vaccinated.