Mass media sensitization workshop on MR vaccination campaign in Tinsukia

Our Correspondent

TINSUKIA: With a mission to eliminate Measles and Rubella Syndrome by 2020, a day-long mass media sensitization workshop was held at LGB Civil Hospital at Tinsukia on Monday.

The workshop was addressed by Dr Ramen Sonowal, Additional CM and HO (FW), and Dr Dipak Mili, Regional Programme Officer UNDP, Dibrugarh region. Dr Sonowal informed that in alignment with the objective, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Assam, was introducing Measles Rubella Vaccine in the Universal Immunization Programme.

The MR campaign will begin in the month of August targeting children from 9 months up to 15 years in various phases. While in one month from day 1 to 14 days, schools have been targeted, the hospitals and other outreach targets will be taken up in subsequent phases. The MR vaccination campaign will be formally launched at Tinsukia on August 16 at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner of Tinsukia, informed Dr Sonowal.

The task being a mammoth one, Dr Sonowal called upon the media persons to spread the message in a positive and elaborate manner to make the sensitization programme a successful one. Dr Mili elaborated the importance of MR Vaccine. Later, a meeting of task force was also held where officials from the district administration and Joint Director of Health Services Dr Altaf Ahmed were present among others.