Mission Indradhanush to be launched in State next month, says Khader

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 23, 2015:  Speaking after inaugurating the polio immunisation drive in Dakshina Kannada by administering polio drops to some children at the Government Lady Goschen Hospital.   Minister for Health and Family Welfare U.T. Khader  on Feb 22, said  the the Union government’s ’ Mission Indradhanush’, an immunisation  programme, will be launched in the State from the last week of March 2015.  

It aims to cover all children, who are either not vaccinated or partially vaccinated, against seven vaccine preventable diseases which include diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B. Addressing presspersons Mr. Khader said that in the first phase, immunisation would be taken up in the five Hyderabad-Karnataka districts of Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari and Bengaluru (Urban) and in the jurisdiction of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

In the five Hyderabad-Karnataka districts, it would implement this as they are considered high-risk areas due to a low record of immunisation. In the five districts, only 70 per cent children have been covered and the rest would be covered during the drive. It would be taken up in BBMP jurisdiction and in Bengaluru (Urban) due to a high concentration of migrant workers or labourers. He said that the immunisation would be carried out in the last four weeks of March, April, May and June.   In the second phase next year, 11 districts would be taken up for the drive under the mission. The minister said that this year, 33 H1N1 death cases have been reported in the State until February 21. It was under control now, he claimed.