TURA: A rally to spread awareness about the importance of vaccination for young children and pregnant mothers under the centre-sponsored Indradhanush Mission was held at Mendipathar with doctors, nurses and health workers taking part in a march on Thursday.
Local social worker Digros D Shira flagged off the rally in the presence of the sub-divisional medical health officer, Dr R M Debnath, Mendipathar health centre head Dr Rezia Sangma and others.
Health workers and doctors have been playing a crucial role in the awareness drive to get more children and expectant mothers under the immunization shield to prevent illness and death.
Vaccination drives in rural areas frequently face hurdles with parents, at times, showing reluctance to get their children immunized against preventable diseases. Superstition and rumors also play a role in deterring children and expectant mothers from taking the jab.
Mission Indradhanush, launched by the central government on December 2014, aims to immunize all children under the age of two years, as well as all pregnant mothers, against seven vaccine preventable diseases.
The diseases being targeted are diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles and Hepatitis B. In addition to this, vaccines for Japanese Encephalitis and Haemophilus Influenzae type B are also being provided in select states.
