Awareness drive on vaccination for rubella, measles starts

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 18

A massive awareness drive on the upcoming measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign has been initiated. The campaign will start in April.

Dr Lakhwinder Singh Athwal, Senior Medical Officer (SMO), Kalanaur, said the objective of the campaign was to provide immunity to children between 9 months and 15 years to measles and rubella.

He stated that the measles mortality rate was quite high across the country and the campaign aimed at its reduction through vaccination.

“The Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) among newborn children causes mental disorder, congenital heart ailments and deafness. The vaccination will tackle CRS too. The campaign will go on for 30 days. Trained staff will vaccinate the identified beneficiaries. Students of government and private schools will be covered in the initial two weeks. Later, children staying at houses, anganwari centres and high risk areas includes migratory sites, brick kiln and slums will be administered the vaccination. The vaccine is approved by World Health Organisation (WHO),” he said.

The department has identified over 27,000 children. As many as 18 teams have been constituted.

Dr Athwal said the teams had been creating awareness about the campaign among students, teachers and parents.