SHILLONG: while the Government is making its best efforts to protect the lives of children from different diseases by vaccinating children under the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI), a large number of people in rural areas of the state refused to vaccinate their children due to certain religious beliefs.
As the State Government is facing the daunting challenge of convincing people in rural areas that vaccination of children is for their benefit, the number of refusal pockets in the State does not seemed to be decreasing.
Now, the government is going to conduct the fourth and final round of Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) from January 8 which would be held for seven working days in different places including the districts of East Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, North Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills, South West Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, West Garo Hills.
As per the statistics of the government, in the Round I, targeted children as per due list was 18925 and the number of children vaccinated was 9400 with a coverage of about 50 per cent.
In the round 2, targeted children as per due list was 13951 whereas the number of children vaccinated was 6259 with a coverage of 45 per cent
In the round 3, targeted children as per due list was 12096 whereas the number of children vaccinated was 5248 with a coverage of 43 percent.
The State health department and the National Health Mission in a press conference held here on Friday requested all parents of children below 2 years of age and pregnant woman who are hitherto unvaccinated or partially vaccinated to come forward and avail the services.
The officials of the health department said that immunization was one of the most cost effective health interventions and it saved thousands of lives by preventing diseases that are not only incurable but which could even result in the death of the affected children
Secretary of the Health department, Pravin Bakshi also downplayed the fears that children often get fever after vaccination saying its normal for children to have fever and this indicates that the medicine is working.
He also assured that vaccines were safe Under the 4th round, the Government has targeted to cover around 10,000 children in the state.