SHILLONG: Meghalaya is gearing up for Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign at end of September 2018 and for this, a State-level Workshop was organised by Directorate of Health Services (MCH & FW) which concluded on Saturday.
The workshop witnessed more than 60 participants from all the 11 districts and partner agencies like WHO, UNICEF, Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP), Rotary International and NEIGRIHMS. The inaugural session was held under the chairpersonship of Pravin Bakshi, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare cum Mission Director, NHM.
The Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, P. W. Ingty, also addressed the participants on the second day. Experts from both national and regional levels were present to train and orient the participants as Training of Trainers (TOT).
India has achieved monumental milestones with Polio eradication in 2014 and Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination in 2015.
Efforts have been made to strengthen routine immunisation by introduction of new vaccines such as Pentavalent and Injectable Polio Vaccine, strengthening cold chain maintenance and intensification of routine immunization through IMI/GSA-IMI.
India is committed to the goal of Measles elimination and control of Rubella/CRS (congenital rubella syndrome) by 2020. To achieve this goal, Measles-Rubella (MR) campaign is being launched in the country covering all children of 9 months to below 15 years of age group. Both these diseases can only be prevented through vaccination.
The rubella vaccine is not a new vaccine and is already being used in a few States routinely and also by private practitioners as MR & MMR (Mumps-Measles-Rubella) vaccines since long. Already more than 9 crore children have been vaccinated across 9 states in India including Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland. Now this vaccine would be introduced in the routine immunization programme in Meghalaya following the campaign.
The estimated number of beneficiaries is over 13 lakh children between ages of 9 completed months to below 15 years in Meghalaya and most of them would be school-going children.
The target is to reach 100% coverage and evaluated coverage must be more than 95% to make the campaign a successful one.
The participants jointly took a pledge to eliminate Measles & control rubella from the state of Meghalaya.