Harish Rawat urges parents to get kids vaccinated

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 7

Chief Minister Harish Rawat inaugurated the second phase of Mission Indradhanush by offering drops of vaccination to children at a programme organised at the Doon District Women Hospital here on Wednesday.

He appealed to parents and other family members to get vaccinated their children and women, who are in the family way.

In Uttarakhand, under the second phase of the programme, Dehradun, Tehri, Udham Singh Nagar and Uttarkashi districts are being covered. The 7-day programme began today. The programme will be conducted on the 7th day of November, December and January for expectant mothers and children up to 2 years of age to ensure 100 per cent vaccination.

The DARC, block coordinator, BPM, auxiliary nurses and midwives and ASHA workers would assist in the programme. Task force committees would be constituted at the state, district and block levels.

The first phase of Mission Indradhanush was organised successfully in Haridwar in May, June and July this year. A total 14,880 expectant mothers and 50,759 children benefited and the Central government had appreciated its successful implementation.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched Mission Indradhanush on December 25, 2014, with the aim of expanding immunization coverage to all children across India by 2020. Mission Indradhanush, depicting seven colours of the rainbow, targets to immunize all children against seven vaccine preventable diseases, namely diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, childhood tuberculosis, polio, hepatitis B and measles. Besides, vaccines for JE (Japanese encephalitis) and Hib (haemophilus influenzae type B) are also being provided in selected states.