Dimapur, Oct. 4 (EMN): Nagaland is all set to launch ‘Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) beginning from October 8. The mission is aimed at providing vaccines against preventable diseases to children below 2 years and pregnant women.
The mission is also aimed at preventing communicable preventable diseases such as diphtheria, tuberculosis, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles and hepatitis-B from focus group of zero to 2 years and pregnant women.
In this connection, a one day sensitisation workshop on “Intensified Mission Indradhanush” was organised by National Health Mission Nagaland and supported by UNICEF on October 4 at Hotel Vivor, Kohima.
Delivering the keynote address, Additional Director of Family Welfare, Dr. Tia Jamir has urged all the media and stakeholders of the mission to play a pivotal role in sensitising and creating awareness in both urban and rural areas with special emphasis on rural and remote areas. He mentioned that Nagaland is far lacking behind others in all parameters when it comes to health related immunization programmes due to lack of awareness.
Mentioning on the importance and necessity of immunisation, he asked all the NGOs and churches to come forward and work hand in hand with the department as they alone cannot fulfil the aims and objectives with a 90% target to be achieved by December 2018. He also said that all the eleven districts in the State have been placed under non-performing districts under Intensified Mission Indradhanush which was launched in 2015.
In the technical session, a power point presentation on overview of immunisation status in respect of Nagaland and Intensified Mission Indradhanush; objectives and strategies were presented by Dr. Pairson and Dr. Sheila respectively.
Dr. Longri from UNICEF made a power point presentation on role of different stakeholders in Intensified Mission Indradhanush.
SIO Nagaland, Dr. Visasieu Kire delivered the welcome address, while the vote of thanks was proposed by SPO, NAM, Dr. Thangoilam.
In a similar programme, Mokokchung District Task Force Committee has held a meeting in the office chamber of Deputy Commissioner, Mokokchung, on October 4 to discuss the forthcoming health programme. Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) in Mokokchung district will also commence from October 9 in 40 selected areas to prevent communicable preventable diseases such as diphtheria, tuberculosis, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles and hepatitis-B from focus group of zero to 2 years and pregnant women.
During this period, the health workers will be deployed in all the selected areas and administer vaccines such as BCG, DPT, Pentavalent, TT, IPV, JE, Measles, bOPV and Hep-B.
In yet another programme, Kohima District Task Force held a meeting in the DC’s office chamber, Kohima, under the chairmanship of
Deputy Commissioner, Rajesh Soundararajan, on October 3. The meeting was represented by officials from Education Department, Social Welfare Department and Rotary Club.
During the meeting, Dr. Shiela Longkumer, SMO (WHO), highlighted the objectives of Mission Indradhanush to vaccinate all children due for immunisation with special focus on children upto 2 years of age and pregnant women. She mentioned that the core aim is to achieve full immunisation coverage beyond 90% by December 2018 with special focus on urban slum areas. She also stressed on the need to engage all relevant departments to speed up the programme.
Dr. Avile Zao, DIO Kohima, supplemented that the immunisation drive will consist of 4 rounds over a period of 4 months starting on October 8. Altogether 47 session sites and 2 mobile teams will be set up in selected areas across the district.
Rajesh Soundararajan, in his closing remark, stressed the need to involve village councils to create awareness at the village level and informed the allied departments present at the meeting to provide cooperation to the health workers in their respective areas.
A district workshop on Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) for medical officers and frontline workers was also held on October 3 at the Chief Medial Officer’s conference hall, Phek.
Dr. Kolhitso Khalo, District Immunization Officer (DIO), Phek, spoke on Intensified Mission Indradhanush. According to him, Intensified Mission Indradhanush is a special immunisation drive to provide immunisation service to the hard to reach areas and villages without health units. It aims at providing vaccines against preventable diseases to children below 2 years and pregnant women.
Rajesh Khartu, Project Officer UNDP, spoke on preparation of detailed micro plan, monitoring and supervision, recording and reporting during IMI for effective implementation.
Dr. Yelo T Mero spoke on ‘Adverse effect following immunisation,’ while the District Community Mobiliser, Azeno Mere, spoke on ‘Boosting routine immunisation demand generation (BRIDGE)’ to improve communication skills between the health workers and the community.
Altogether 33 participants attended the programme.
