Odisha: Over 1 crore children vaccinated under Measles-Rubella campaign

Over one crore children have been administered Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccines in a span of only three weeks in Odisha, senior health officials said.

The Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign that began in the state on January 29 has been completed in 70,367 schools, the health officials said in a press meet on Tuesday.

As many as 47,689 ASHAs, 71,129 AWWs, 8665 health workers and officials of state government departments have played a major role in meeting the target, they said.

The school level campaign was completed on February 17 and the community level campaign that began on February 19 will continue till March 16, they said.

Till date, 37,160 outreach vaccination sessions have been conducted in the villages to vaccinate all children in the nine-month to five-year age group besides non-school going children and school dropouts.

All the districts are conducting mop-up drive to cover the school children who were not vaccinated during the school campaign.

During the community campaign, the ASHA & AWW will visit each household to make the people aware of the MR drive.

Due to the Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign in the state, the first phase Pulse Polio drive will be held from April 15-April 17 and the second phase from May 20-May 22.

Dr Brajakishore Brahma, Director, Health Services, in Odisha, Dr Kamalakanta Das, state immunization officer and Dr Tapas Kumar Patra, Deputy Director (Immunization) briefed newsmen about MR vaccination campaign.