BHOPAL : The National Health Mission Director Faiz Ahmed Kidwai has said that Madhya Pradesh has 6,30,000 children who are not vaccinated and through Mission Indradhanush, they are trying to reduce the infant and child mortality rates.
At a press conference here on Monday, Kidwai announced the launching of the second phase of Mission Indradhanush. He also said that 64 per cent children do not get vaccination due to lack of awareness and misconceptions about vaccination among their parents.
The second phase of NHM’s Mission Indradhanush, will start from October 7. Children and pregnant women will be immunised in 23 ‘medium priority districts’ of Madhya Pradesh.
The vaccination will be given in four phases from 7th to 17th in October, November, December and January.
PS Health, Gouri Singh, who was also present at the press conference, said that monitoring of the work under the mission will be done by independent teams, which will report to the department regarding the changes and course corrections required.
She said that Madhya Pradesh was at the third position vis-à-vis the number of immunised children but still the number of unimmunised children is alarming and in this phase, a target for immunising 2,82,000 children has been set.
Problems of first phase sorted out
PS Health Gouri Singh said that in phase one of the mission, various problems had cropped up. But with concurrent monitoring, those problems will be avoided. Execution of corrective measures and changes required will be done hand in hand. Monitoring and observation will be done by the WHO. It will provide external monitors for the feedback on the campaign and will also monitor the areas where maximum cases of partial vaccinations have been reported.
UNICEF, WHO and UNDP to support the mission.
For making the mission a success, teams of UNICEF, WHO and UNDP have extended support to NHM. UNICEF is working on creating awareness about the importance of immunisation. WHO is working for overall planning and execution of the mission and UNDP is working for the maintenance of the cold chain
Target areas
Villages where immunisation has been given for not more than thrice.
Villages and areas where ANM are not available due to long vacation.
Areas marked during polio campaigns like tribal areas, city outskirts, brick kilns, slums, and other remote areas.
Areas prone to diphtheria, measles and tetanus.
