Dimapur, Oct. 7 (EMN): The Directorate of Health & Family Welfare has informed that the Intensified Mission Indradhanush in the state will be officially launched on Oct. 9 by the Minister of Health & Family Welfare Imkong L Imchen at UPHC Seikhazou ‘D’ Khel ground, Kohima. All officers from joint director and above have been informed to attend the function.
The campaign is aimed at providing vaccines for children below 2 years of age and pregnant women who have missed out routine vaccination.
In accordance with the Union Health Ministry, the goal of IMI is to accelerate the coverage and achieve 90% full immunization coverage by December 2018 and sustain thereafter through routine immunization.
State Programme Officer and MO (UIP) in a press release informed that all 11 districts will be conducting the IMI campaign in areas which have been selected on the basis of poor routine immunization coverage with special focus on urban areas, hard to reach areas and areas with migratory population. Learning from the experiences of past MI campaigns, the department has taken a more proactive approach in ensuring better convergence with other line departments viz. the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Education department.
The ICDS and Education department would be providing crucial support by creating awareness on the importance of immunization and generating demand. The Nagaland Baptist Church Council, Nagaland Christian Revival Church and Catholic Association have also been included as partners in immunization to support the health department in promoting positive messages about immunization.
A press release also mentioned that there will be effective programme oversight through State Task Force meetings and District Task Force meetings to be chaired by Principal Secretary (H&FW) and DCs respectively. It also informed that the chief secretary has been reviewing the progress of the programme through the State Steering Committee meeting. There will also be intensive monitoring of the campaign by state-level health officials and development partners (WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, RRC).
All districts have completed a head count survey of children below 2 years and pregnant women in preparation for IMI campaign. The immunization sessions and mobilization of beneficiaries will be planned on the basis of the due list of children and pregnant women who are due for vaccines. The department will ensure that there will be better data management of coverage indicators since the campaign is being planned according to the actual head count.
Under IMI, around 20093 children below 2 years and 2916 Pregnant women will be immunized through 809 immunization sessions planned across the state. IMI campaign will continue for four months starting from Oct. 9.
In a separated press release, Chief Medical Officer Dimapur Dr. K.Vikato Kinimi also informed that recent evaluation have indicated that the major reason for inability to vaccinate all the children in the country are lack of awareness among parents about the benefits of immunization. Therefore, all the parents are requested to bring their children to immunization sites in their respective colonies/villages and immunize to prevents from vaccine preventable disease which is to be observe from Oct. 9 to 15 across the district.
