Govt launches special community outreach programme on Intensified Mission Indradhanush

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday launched a three-day special community outreach programme on the Intensified Mission Indradhanush and said no child should be missed under the routine immunisation programme.

In a video message, the minister emphasised the importance of immunisation of children and pregnant women as part of the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI 2.0).

High priority is being accorded by the government for achieving targets, Vardhan said after launching the outreach programme at the Shastri Park here.

The IMI is being carried out in 272 districts across 27 states and UTs, and 650 blocks of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh across 109 districts since December 2019, he added.

Through the IMI, the government aims to reach every child below the age of two years and pregnant women still uncovered under the routine immunisation programme with a special focus on improving coverage in areas with "low" immunization.

"While we have targets to achieve 90 per cent immunisation coverage target, we should all aim to ensure that not even one child is deprived of a vaccine and die of vaccine preventable diseases. Especially when we have a basket of vaccines as part of our routine Universal Immunisation Program (UIP)" he said in his video message.

"With the launch of IMI 2.0, India has the opportunity to achieve further reductions in deaths among children under five years of age, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending preventable child deaths by 2030," he added,

The outreach programme is being organised by the Song and Drama Division of the Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC), under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

He informed that three rounds of IMI 2.0 have already been conducted from December 2019 and February 2020, wherein 29.74 lakh children and 5.90 lakh pregnant women have been vaccinated.

One more round of IMI 2.0 is planned to be conducted in March 2020, Vardhan said.

As a part of the special community outreach, an exhibition displaying the various schemes of the ministry and information on how to avail of these benefits is also being held.