IMPHAL, April 7: Minister Phungzathang Tonsing called upon the public to have their children between 0-2 years and pregnant women immunized to prevent affliction by life threatening diseases.
He was speaking on the launch of Mission Indradhanush Campaign at the YPA GHQ Hall, Hiangtam Lamka, Churachandpur District.
In the 201 High Focus District in India, four district of Manipur, namely Churachandpur, Senepati, Tamenglong, Ukhrul are included, he said.
In Churachandpur, Senapati, Tamenglong, Ukhrul, 2821, 2286, 1418 and 1272 children respectively all in the age group of 0-2 years and 551, 948, 627 and 1282 pregnant women respectively were to be immunized, he said.
He said the number of immunisations sessions planned for Churachandpur, Senapati, Tamenglong, and Ukhrul are 182, 306, 126 and 117 respectively, and the number of ANM/ASHA/AWW to be engaged for the job are 250, 556, 166 and 153 respectively.
As a strategic endeavour the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched the `Mission Indradhanush` in December 2014 to achieve more than 90 percent full immunization coverage in the country by 2020.
During the inaugural function the Minister further said that every person must have their health checked regularly to keep healthy, and this needs to start from infancy thus it is a must to immunize both pregnant mother and child between 0-2 years.
The Mission Indradhanush initiated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is aimed at getting rid of life threatening infections of infants and pregnant mothers within the next five years, he said and added that the most important thing in life is health care thus every individual must cooperate in this endeavour.
Phungzathang Tonsing also appealed to the ASHA, ANN workers and concern authorities to engage full heartedly in this campaign.
He also announced that the Churachandpur District Hospital will be up-graded to full-fledged 200-bedded hospital within this year.
The Director, Health Society cum Director Health Mission, Okram Ibomcha said that the Government of India is committed to reduce child mortality and morbidity in the country by improving fill immunization coverage through universal immunization programme and introducing new and efficacious vaccines for vaccine preventable diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.
Under Mission Indradhanush, the government has identified 201 high focus districts across the country. The nationwide mission intensified routine immunization drive for ensuring high coverage throughout the country which will be conducted between April-July for seven days per district, with the focus of 201 high districts of the country.
He continued that unimmunized and partially immunized children are most susceptible to childhood diseases and disabilities and run 3-6 times higher risk of death as compared with fully immunized children.
He said that the World Health Organisation, India will provide technical support to government by building sustainable instructional capacity for effective planning and implementation and undertake routine performance monitoring that district/block level for timely delivery of routine immunization services, and added that the UNICEF to support State, district and block level for social mobilization activities, dissemination of information and their monitoring through its social mobilization network.