SHILLONG: Meghalaya government on Monday launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) at Ganesh Das Government Maternal and Child Health Hospital with health officials mulling over massive public awareness as the immunisation coverage in the state is recorded only at 62 per cent.
“The last programme of Mission Indradhanush was not so satisfactory. I regret to say that we could not achieve the target set for us,” said RR Marak, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department.
She dwelt on the bottlenecks that are responsible for the lack of performance in the state which included ignorance and unwillingness of the people to get their children vaccinated, religious issues etc.
Stating that the state has not made any satisfactory performance, she said, “Public awareness is the most important thing if we have to make the programme a success.”
“The intensified Mission Indradhanush starting from October 7, 2017, will continue for the next four months for seven working days. We will have to pull up our socks and go to the problem areas and try to bridge the gap and make the programme a success,” she added.
According to her, it is important to get across to the masses especially those who have the negative mindset towards vaccination and immunization to prevent children from contracting fatal diseases.
There will be a special focus in the seven districts – East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, South West Khasi, North Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills and West Garo Hills and only Nongstoin area in West Khasi Hills where there are a number of children who have not been given vaccines on time.
