4-phase Intensified Mission Indradhanush in DK

In a bid achieve the target of total immunisation, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 from December 2019 to March 2020.

The mission will be held in four phases in Dakshina Kannada with first phase being held from December 2 to 10, second phase from January 3 to 13, third phase from February 3 to 12 and fourth phase from March 2 to 10, District Health Officer Dr Ramakrishna Rao told mediapersons here at Pathrika Bhavana on Monday.

The programme will focus on improving immunisation coverage in districts and cities and to ensure 90% coverage for full immunisation. All those who were left out in the universal immunisation programme will be covered under the drive, he added.

The immunisation programme covers TB, Polio, Diphtheria, Hepatitis-B, Rota Virus, Rubella and others for children and Diphtheria for pregnant women. Seven vaccinations are provided to children in the age bracket of 0-5 years, Rao said.

Under Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI), the children (from 0-2 years) and pregnant women, who were left out in earlier drive, will be vaccinated. In DK, the target under Intensified Mission Indradhanush for vaccination in December is 719 children and 190 pregnant women.

“Health assistants, Asha and anganwadi workers have already identified children and pregnant women, who have missed any one of the vaccination under Universal immunisation programme.”

IMI is implemented jointly by Women and Child Development department, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Department of Information and Public Relations, Labour department, Backward Classes department, Department of Education and others.

School vaccination

With diphtheria cases being reported among children in various districts in Karnataka, the government is all set for vaccination drive in government, private and aided schools from December 11 to 31. Under the drive, children in the age bracket of 5 ot 6 years or studying in class I will be vaccinated with DPT booster dose 2 ( against Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus infections) and children in classes V and X with TD vacciantion (against tetanus, diphtheria) vaccination.

In DK, the target is to vaccinate 32,832 children in class I. As many as 31,678 children from Class V and a total of 31,446 children of class X will be vaccinated. The parents of those students who have already availed vaccination in private hospitals and clinics should furnish a document to prove that the child is vaccinated.

“We want to achieve 100% in school vaccination programme in the district,” DHO added.