Immunization drive for pregnant women, infants in 6 northeastern states

GUWAHATI: The Union government is set to launch the fourth edition of the Intensified Mission Indradhanush 4.0, for immunization of pregnant women and children amid the Covid threat covering six north eastern states from February.


Children up to two years will be covered in this drive. Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya launched the event from New Delhi on Monday. Assam health minister

Keshab Mahanta

, who participated virtually, said the government plans to administer six lakh doses annually under the programme.


The inaugural event was held in the presence of health officials of states and Union Territories (UTs). Gujarat health minister

Rushikesh Patel

also participated virtually.


"We shall achieve the target of six lakh vaccination in a year by covering children and pregnant women of all sections through the special initiative of Intensified Mission Indradhanush 4.0 along with the regular vaccination drive," said Mahanta from the Azara Block Primary Health Centre in Kamrup.


The Mission was started on December 25, 2014, to provide vaccination that would protect children from a host of diseases like Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis-B, Polio and

Measles

.


Later, on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the IMI was launched on October 8, 2017. "India is implementing the largest immunisation programme in the world where we annually cover more than 3 crore pregnant women and 2.6 crore children through the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP),” said Mandaviya.


Mandaviya said that while the pace of routine immunization slowed down due to Covid, he is hopeful that IMI 4.0 will immensely help in filling up the gaps. "It will ensure that Routine Immunization (RI) services reach the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children and pregnant women," he said.


IMI 4.0 will be conducted in 416 districts, including 75 districts identified for Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, across 33 states and UTs in the country. In the first round (Feb-April 2022), 11 states will conduct IMI 4.0. These are Assam, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya, Mizoram,

Nagaland

, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura and

Chhattisgarh

. The others (22 states) will conduct the rounds from April to May 2022. The Union health minister also virtually launched the IMI 4.0 portal and released the Operational Guidelines for IMI 4.0.



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