NONGPOH: Together with the rest of the state, Measles & Rubella Vaccination Campaign (MRVC) was launched in Ri Bhoi District on Monday by the local legislator of Nongpoh Constituency, Mayralborn Syiem in a function held at the premises of St. Paul’s Higher Secondary School, Nongpoh.
The launching of the campaign here was also attended by Mrs. Rosetta Mary Kurbah, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Ri Bhoi District, Nongpoh, Dr P Sharma, Consultant, World Health Organization, Dr. M. Mawrie, DMHO, D. Lakiang, EAC, Fr. B. Pala, Parish Priest, Health workers, teachers and students. The vaccination campaign will run for five weeks across Ri Bhoi District like elsewhere in the state, which is two weeks in the schools, two weeks in the community and another one week for those left out in the initial four weeks.
Addressing the campaign as the chief guest, Mayralborn Syiem highly appreciated the health department and the District Administration for their initiative and efforts in implementing such a very important programme for the welfare and health of the children of the district, who are the leaders of the state in the days to come.
Referring to the apprehension by parents to allow their children for the vaccination, Syiem urged them not to have any doubt since the vaccine had already been administered in other districts of the state and rest of the country. He also sought the cooperation of each and all in order to make the programme a success.
On the other hand, Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner, Rosetta Mary Kurbah in her speech appreciated the teachers for their initiative and parents for the cooperation to the MRVC. With the target of 1.13 lakh of children to be covered under the programme, she called upon the school authority, health workers and particularly the parents across the district to get all their children vaccinated with the MR vaccine in their respective schools or the nearest health centre.
As per information received from the Ri Bhoi health officials, a total number of 5498 students aged between 9 months and 15 years were vaccinated during the first day of the campaign across several schools of the district.