Vaccine drive n DK to cover 5 lakh children in 3 weeks of February 2017

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 30, 2017: Preparations are in full swing for administering Measles Rubella (MR) vaccine to children aged between nine months and 15 from February 7 to March 1 in the district.

School teachers will play a pivotal role in this drive as they have been given the responsibility of educating the parents on the need to get their children vaccinated.  Nearly 5 lakh children from the district will be administered the vaccine in the form of injection. The vaccination will be done for a week in 2,551 schools. It will then be held in 2,014 anganwadi centres in the district.

District Reproductive and Child Health Officer H. Ashok said that detailed planning has been done to vaccinate all the children.  “We are educating the teachers on the importance of this programme. With their support, we hope to reach out to all children,” he said.  This State-wide special vaccination programme is the Phase I of the Government of India’s national strategy to eliminate measles and control rubella.

Dr. Ashok said preparations for the programme started two months ago, compilation of the number of children in balavadi, montessori, nursery, primary, and secondary schools was taken up. As many as 550 nurses have been trained to work as vaccinators. The work of these vaccinators will be monitored by 120 lady health visitors. As many as 2,104 anganwadi workers and 1,110 Accredited Social Health Activists will also be involved in the drive. Assistance of 55 Multi Purpose Health Workers of the MCC, Mangaluru City Corporation will also be taken , he said.

Each school will be given a date on which the vaccination will be done. Each nurse will be administering vaccine to 200 students per day. At the anganwadi centres, nurses will be administering vaccine to 150 children each day. All concerned are asked to take note and prepare accordingly.