2 lakh children to be covered under drive against measles, rubella

Charu Chhibber

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 27

The UT Health Department is all set to launch a single shot measles-rubella (MR) vaccine campaign in April with an aim to cover nearly 2 lakh children.

Dr Rakesh Kashyap, Director, Health Services, Chandigarh, said, “The campaign has been started by the Union Health Ministry under the Universal Immunisation Programme with an aim to eradicate measles and rubella from the country. The UT Health Department is all set to launch it in the city next month.”

He added that the campaign would be taken up as a mission and rolled out in partnership with the Education Department and the Department of Social Welfare, Women and Child Development.

Dr Anu Chopra Dosajh, District Immunisation Officer, Chandigarh, informed that all children from nine months to 15 years will be given a single shot of an MR vaccination during the month-long campaign, irrespective of their previous measles/ rubella vaccination or disease status.

“The MR vaccine will be provided free of cost across the schools, anganwadi centres, health facilities and outreach session sites,” Dr Dosanjh said.

“The aim is not leave out any child. Our auxiliary midwife nurses (AMN), anganwadi workers and doctors are preparing a list of the children needing vaccination,” she said.

She added that ahead of the campaign, the department would hold informative sessions for teachers and parents. Each school will have a teacher as nodal officer, who will coordinate with the Health Department and facilitate meetings between doctor and parents to remove doubts and queries.

“All stakeholders will be taken into confidence through several activities ahead of the campaign and their doubts will be cleared for the smooth conduct of the campaign,” Dr Dosanjh informed.

She said a meeting with the Director (School Education), officials of the Social Welfare Department and representatives of private schools will be held soon.