Sonitpur district gears up for Intensified Mission Indradhanush-2.0
A Correspondent
Tezpur: To rapidly build up full immunization coverage to more than 90 per cent by March 2020, the Government of India has planned Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 for 271 districts spread over 27 States in the country and 18 districts, including Sonitpur in Assam, from December to March 2020.
The objective is to reach the unreachable in identified critical areas where RI systems are falling short with all available vaccines under UIP. MI was launched in 2014 December by the Prime Minister of India and since then around 3.39 crore children and 87 lakh pregnant women were vaccinated. Moreover, an increase of 18.5 per cent points in full immunization coverage(FIC) was noted from the 62 per cent in 2014, stated Dr Biman Sharma, District Immunization Officer, Sonitpur at a press meet held at the School of Nursing on Monday in presence of Dr Bhabajyoti Bora, SMO WHO, Anjushree Phukan, District Media Expert and Dweepen Rabha, VCCM.
Dr Sharma informed that there would be four rounds in Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 - first from December 3, second from January 6, third from February 3 and fourth from March 2, 2020. Adding further, Sharma elaborated that IMI 2.0 Dec round would start from December 3 to December 9 along with 17 other districts of Assam. The target of 708 children of 0-2 years age group and 68 pregnant women for Sonitpur was already entered in the portal by the District Immunization Officer. These drop out and left out beneficiaries will be covered in 82 IMI 2.0 sessions in different low performing areas under the respective Block PHCs.
With the help of the district administration, the district health department has already conducted some awareness meetings amongst the communities in those areas selected for IMI 2.0. “The Health Department appeals to parents to take this opportunity to immunize their children against the deadly diseases. The department seeks all support and co-operation from the Indian Academy of Paediatricians along with the members of Indian Medical Associations in this national cause,” Dr Sharma added.