Immunisation under Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) is all set to be commenced across Manipur from August 7, running for a week, during which children aged 0-5 years, along with pregnant women, will be covered.
During a press conference held at the Directorate of Health Service on Friday, State Mission Director of National Health Mission, N Somorjit announced that this time the immunisation process will be digitalised using U-Win, a system aimed at improving tracking of beneficiaries and reducing the number of left-outs.
He emphasised that the IMI aims to reach out to partially vaccinated children and those left out, including pregnant women, to ensure effective coverage in the region. Moreover, the initiative seeks to achieve the target of eliminating Measles-Rubella.
The IMI 5.0 will cover up to 12 Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) which include all those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated who are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to VPDs.
He said that the immunization process will take place from 7th to 12th August, across all districts in Manipur. He said that people can visit any healthcare centres during this period for registration and vaccination of their children, and pregnant women. The entire process will be provided free of cost.
He informed that the full immunization coverage of Manipur stands at 80 percent whereas the target set by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is 90 percent in all districts. The state MRCV 2 coverage (Measles Rubella containing vaccine) for 2022-23 is 74 percent whereas the target set by the MOHFW is 95 percent in all districts.
It may be due to impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with other existing inequalities in immunisation as a result of difficult geographical terrain, gaps in awareness. As the population of partially and unvaccinated children and pregnant women increases in an area, the risk of disease outbreaks also increases. Thus, to catch up on gaps that might have emerged due to COVID-19 pandemic, IMI 5.0 has been planned across the country, to reach the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children and pregnant women, he added.
State Nodal Officer, Chambo Gonmei said the objective of IMI 5.0 is to identify all children up to 5 years and pregnant women for missed doses and vaccinated them in specially planned IMI sessions and also to target eliminated of the Measles Rubella in any defined geographical area of Manipur.
Three rounds of IMI will be conducted on August 1-7; September 11- 16; October 9- 14.
Chambo Gonmei said that every unvaccinated and partially vaccinated child in India is at the risk of life-threatening diseases. Vaccines are available free of cost at government facilities. If anyone is not sure about the immunization status of your child, do visit the nearest health facility or talk to the healthcare workers.
Ahead of the launch of Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 5.0 programme to immunise pregnant women and children up to the age of five against life-threatening diseases, a state media sensitisation conference to equip media professionals to counter hesitancy and encourage vaccine uptake was held at Directorate of Health Service.
