Asha workers to identify 1 million children for MMR vaccination, special campaigns soon

As many as 1 million children have still not received their MMR vaccination in India. As part of the plan, special immunization programmes will commence very soon across India in a phased wise manner, according to an official aware of the matter.

On Wednesday, Mint reported that the Union cabinet highlighted the achievements of the National Health Mission (NHM) and indicated that the vaccination coverage is 97% at around 347.7 million children.

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In India, MMR vaccination is part of a Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), and the government is aiming to achieve 100% coverage to eliminate the diseases by 2026.

“We estimate that there could be around 1 million children not vaccinated with MMR vaccination. This may also include those who have not received any basic vaccination-meaning ‘zero dose’ children. But numbers could be even more,” said an official aware of the matter.

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Under the campaign, Asha (accredited social health activist) workers go from door to door to identify unvaccinated children for immunization, the official said.

Every year, the government allocates funds of around ₹10,000-12,000 crore for universal immunization, one of the highest allocations in the health sector.

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This allocation is for supplies of vaccines, syringes and cold chain equipment to states and UTs to enable them to reach all children under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

World’s largest UIP

India runs the world’s largest UIP under which 11 vaccines are provided free of cost to eligible beneficiaries.

The government conducts a special catch-up vaccination campaign ‘Mission Indradhanush’ in areas of low immunization coverage for left out, dropped out children and pregnant women.

“A total of 54.6 million children and 13.2 million pregnant women have been vaccinated in all phases of Mission Indradhanush conducted so far in the country. Mission Indradhanush has increased the vaccine coverage under National Universal Immunization Programme,” Union minister of state for health and family welfare, Anupriya Patel, said in December.

In India, Serum Institute of India is the largest manufacturer of measles-rubella vaccines.