Second phase of Intensified Mission Indradhanush to launch

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Nov 6

The second phase of Intensified Mission Indradhanush is set to kick start tomorrow in four hill districts of the state by Family Welfare Department. The districts covered under this mission are Churachandpur, Chandel, Ukhrul and Tamenglong.

In a media sensitisation workshop held today at its B.T. road office, director of health and family welfare, Dr. K. Rajo stated that the mission aims for vaccination of children from 0-2 years to prevent from deadly diseases such as diphtheria, measles, whooping cough and Japanese encephalitis.

He said that the main focus is in the hill districts of the state, which are the lowest immunised districts. The second phase will go on for seven days straight, he added.

He further said that the mission will cover around 3104 children under 0-2 years of age and also targets in giving two doses of Tetanus and Tetanus booster for 936 pregnant women. The previous phase that started on October 18 managed to get 88.8 per cent with total site plan of 369 sessions and achieved 325 sessions. While the second phase aims to complete and cover all the left out of first phase of immunisation in the state, he added.

Dr. K. Rajo said that just like the famous slogan of Manipur chief minister ‘Go to the Hills’, the mission’s motto will be ‘Go to the hills, and work and immunise’.

Responding to a query, state nodal officer of immunisation, Dr. Nandakishore said that the other districts of the state are better immunised than these mentioned districts.

He said that diphtheria is one of the deadliest diseases that kill every 30,000 children every year in the country and also one of the biggest threats to the state. There is an urgent need to wipe out the disease, he added.

Nandakishore also said that the state is already on a plan to eradicate Measles Rubella and the mission will start by February 2018.