Mission Indradhanush launched for children, pregnant women in Patiala district

Patiala, March 7

To cover up disruptions and gaps in the basic routine immunisation of children below the age of two years and pregnant women, the Health Department today kicked off a special inoculation drive in the district. Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, many children and pregnant women had missed out on basic vaccines.

The special drive, to drop outs and left out children and pregnant women, was inaugurated by Patiala Civil Surgeon Dr Prince Sodhi at a special camp, near Shiv Temple, in Bharat Nagar.

The drive, named Mission Indradhanush 4.0, would cover seven diseases: Diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, hepatitis B and measles.

The routine immunisation was severely affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thousands of children in the state had missed doses of their routine vaccination exposing them to devastating but preventable diseases. Mission Indradhanush 4.0 would fill in the gaps in the universal immunisation.

Dr Veenu Goyal, District Immunisation Officer, said many children and pregnant women had missed or skipped their routine vaccination due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We have already identified children and pregnant women, who are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated with routine vaccines. Special camps will be organised to cover the target population,” said Goyal.