SHILLONG: Under the Measles-Rubella Vaccination (MRV) campaign more than 13 lakh children will be immunized in Meghalaya with a target to achieve 100 per cent coverage and evaluated coverage must be more than 95 per cent.
Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Pravin Bakshi, however, pointed out the challenges such as misinformation due to cultural practices and taboos in some pockets of the state.
Speaking at the media workshop on measles-rubella vaccination campaign on Monday at Asian Confluence, he said the target was to reach out to children in the schools.
The MR Vaccination campaign is being held to protect children in the age group of 9 months to 15 years. Bakshi allayed fears of over-vaccination saying no harm is done with extra vaccination.
Meanwhile, the Health Department also shared an appeal of the Health Minister, A.L. Hek seeking support and active cooperation of heads of schools, teachers and parents, community leaders and public representatives as it is the state’s biggest ever vaccination campaign.
He added that children irrespective of previous immunisation history or disease history should receive the vaccine.
Meghalaya would be launching the campaign on October 1, 2018 as the 25th state with an estimated target of about 13 lakh children.