Latest news with #UniversalImmunisationProgramme
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
DC orders health centres to ensure essential medicines are in stock in Mandya
Mandya: Deputy commissioner Kumara has directed the heads of primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs) across the district to ensure the uninterrupted availability of essential medicines, including injections, to treat snakebite and dog bite cases. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During a review meeting at the DC's office, Kumara highlighted the recent tragic death of a girl who was en route Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) for treatment following a dog bite. He stated that the incident could have been avoided if timely medical care was provided at Maddur taluk hospital. Emphasising the importance of preparedness, Kumara said that life-saving medicines must be readily available at all health centres. To enforce this, nodal officers are appointed in every taluk. These officers are tasked with conducting regular inspections of health facilities under their jurisdiction and submitting detailed reports. "Doctors now have access to real-time stock information through mobile apps. We must utilise technology effectively," Kumara said, urging medical staff to work with compassion and prioritise human life. With the onset of monsoon, Kumara also warned of an increased risk of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya, and called for intensified awareness campaigns, especially at construction sites where stagnant water is common. The district reported one positive Covid case. The patient is currently under home isolation. SARI cases are also being tested at MIMS, and Kumara instructed that similar tests be extended to SARI patients in private hospitals. Kumara also reviewed progress under the district's Non-Communicable Disease screening programmes, which focus on early detection of diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. He stressed the need for follow-up data to ensure that identified patients are receiving proper treatment. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now More outreach programmes are to be organised in high-risk areas. Noting a rise in heart attack-related deaths in the district, Kumara instructed health officials to conduct age-wise surveys and submit detailed reports. He also called for data on the number of patients being screened under the heart disease control programme and those referred for specialist care. Universal Immunisation Programme and maternal mortality reports were also reviewed. District panchayat deputy secretary-2 T Lakshmi, district health and family welfare officer Dr K Mohan, RCH officer Dr KP Ashwath, district survey officer Dr Kumar, leprosy eradication officer Dr Somashekhar, and district AIDS control officer Dr MN Ashalatha were also present.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Spl measles-rubella vax drive in UP to cover gaps below 95% mark
Uttar Pradesh has launched a focused measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign targeting 321 development blocks where vaccination coverage remains below 95%. The campaign aims to ensure every eligible child receives both doses of the MR vaccine, which protects against highly contagious viral diseases. State data shows the overall MR-I vaccination rate has reached 101.05%, while MR-II stands at 97.67%. However, 205 blocks across 12 districts have MR-I coverage under 95%, and 321 blocks in 25 districts report MR-II coverage below 95%. The campaign, which began on June 1, will continue through June 30, with special attention on these low-performing blocks, state government officials said. 'The focus remains equal for all districts with officials in 12 districts told to better network at ground level to ensure all left-out kids are given the due dose of MR vaccine,' said Dr Ajay Gupta, state immunisation officer. Districts with low vaccination (MR-I and MR-II) coverage include Lalitpur, Jalaun, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur, Hamirpur, Shamli, Mathura, Azamgarh, Meerut, Aligarh, Banda, and Sonbhadra. The campaign targets around 53 lakh children for the first dose and 47 lakh for the second dose. In 2025, U.P. recorded a measles infection rate of 0.003% per lakh population, lower than Chhattisgarh (0.009%), Madhya Pradesh (0.006%), and Andhra Pradesh (0.005%). Notably, India aims to eliminate measles and rubella by 2026. The Universal Immunisation Programme offers two free MR vaccine doses to children between 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age.
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Immunisation: A national promise in the making
Zero is the only acceptable number when it comes to children who go unimmunised. Zero children left behind, zero missed doses, zero preventable deaths. Yet, across the world, millions of children still miss out on life-saving vaccines—often with tragic consequences. Every seven seconds, a newborn dies somewhere in the world. More than two million newborns die in their first month of life with another two million stillborn. A heartbreaking number of these deaths are preventable—with immunisation playing a critical role. In the last three decades, India has slashed its under-five mortality rate from 126 to 32 per 1,000 live births—a stunning achievement that speaks to the power of public health programmes, particularly the Universal Immunisation Programme, which now reaches 29 million pregnant women and 27 million newborns annually. Today, India's national immunisation coverage stands at an impressive 93%. But in public health, it's often the last mile that is the toughest. The remaining 7%—those not yet covered—represent the most vulnerable and hardest to reach. And each one of them deserves our attention. State governments play a crucial role in expanding immunisation coverage, particularly in regions where populations are sparsely distributed, and terrain is challenging. For example, Arunachal Pradesh has made remarkable progress despite having 26 hard to reach districts. In some areas, health care workers have even used elephants to reach remote villages—demonstrating extraordinary commitment to ensuring no one is left behind. Who are the children being missed—and why? The reasons are varied, complex, and heartbreakingly human. Unlike in many parts of the world where supply-side issues dominate, India's challenges lie elsewhere. Political will and vaccine availability are not the problems. What stand in the way are social myths, lack of awareness, mobility, and misinformation. In some communities, lingering myths persist. One disturbing belief is that vaccines cause infertility in boys—leading some families to immunise daughters while leaving sons at risk. In others, the gap is simply a lack of awareness. Many parents don't know that a full immunization schedule involves nearly 30 doses over 16 years. Without them, the risk of preventable disease remains dangerously high. For migrant families, it's often a case of access and record-keeping. They may not know that vaccines are available across India, or they may lose track of their child's vaccine history as they move from place to place. To fix this, solutions must be local, inclusive—and smart. In Arunachal Pradesh, community leaders have played a vital role in mobilising zero-dose children in remote districts. In the state's Longding district, pastors have organized awareness camps during Sunday mass prayers, while Buddhist Bhantes (monks) in Namsai, Tawang, and West Kameng have boosted vaccination coverage through strong community advocacy. Maharashtra too is thinking out of the box. There, health workers partnered with members of the transgender community—who are traditionally invited to bless newborns—to spread immunisation messages in peri-urban slums in Thane district. It's an approach rooted in culture and trust, where the messenger is just as important as the message. These efforts are backed by robust national programmes. Mission Indradhanush and its intensified variant are bringing vaccines to underserved communities, particularly in hard to reach and vaccine-hesitant populations. Complementing these is the Community of Practice for Demand (CoP-D)—an initiative of the ministry of health and family welfare with support from UNDP. CoP-D brings together ASHAs, ANMs, community leaders, influencers, and civil society groups to work closely with vulnerable communities to co-create strategies tailored to local realities. It enables strategic planning at state and national levels, encourages community-led innovations, and draws from global best practices to develop solutions that are truly made for India. But community engagement alone isn't enough. We need robust health care delivery systems. This is where India's digital prowess shines. The Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) has revolutionised the way vaccines are tracked and stored—providing real-time data from over 30,000 cold chain points across the country. Building on that success is U-WIN—India's latest digital innovation, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024. U-WIN tracks vaccinations from pregnancy through childhood, registers doses, sends reminders, and ensures no child slips through the cracks. In just one year, it has registered over 23.5 million pregnant women, 67.7 million children, and tracked more than 375 million doses. A true game changer. Together, eVIN and U-WIN are not just digitising health care—they're democratising it. These platforms offer a blueprint for countries around the world, showcasing how technology can make health care more transparent, efficient, and equitable. We've done it before—and we can do it again. India was one of the first countries to eliminate polio. It carried out one of the largest Covid-19 vaccination campaigns on the planet. We know what it takes: innovation, collaboration, and unwavering commitment. As we move beyond World Immunisation Week, the message remains urgent: every child deserves a fair start in life—regardless of gender, geography, or income. Because every child missed is a story left unfinished. And zero is not just a goal. It's a promise. This article is authored by Angela Lusigi, resident representative, UNDP India and Biyuram Wahge, minister for health & family welfare, Arunachal Pradesh.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Expanded immunisation service under UIP launched
The State health department launched the expanded the immunisation services under the Universal Immunisation Programme at all 500 functional health and welfare centres on Wednesday. Health minister M. Subramanian, who launched the programme at a HWC centre in T. Nagar said to achieve 100% coverage of routine immunisation for vaccine preventable diseases in the state, all the UIP vaccines would be made available in all HWCs on every Wednesday. Such an arrangement is currently available in all the 2,286 Primary Health Centres. The government will soon be commissioning another 208 HWCs and the vaccines will be administered there as well, he added. The minister said under the UIP, 11 vaccines are provided to children and pregnant women against 12 vaccine preventable diseases. In 15 endemic districts vaccination against Japanese encephalitis is also provided. According to him the state consistently achieved immunisation coverage of over 99% annually, with around 9.5 lakh pregnant women and 8.76 lakh children/infants being administered the vaccines under UIP. Immunisation sessions will be offered daily in all primary health centres, paediatric units of government medical colleges, district headquarters, taluk and non-taluk hospitals. Every Wednesday outreach sessions will be held in villages and towns. The cold chain is maintained for the vaccines being supplied by the Union government, the minister explained. They are transported through refrigerated vans to regional vaccine stores and then distributed to the district vaccine stores, Mr. Subramanian informed. Senior health department officials, including the health secretary, the director of public health, the director of National Health Mission besides health officials of the Greater Chennai Corporation were present at the launch.
The Hindu
30-04-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Global campaign on prevention of encephalitis launched
UK-based Encephalitis International on Tuesday launched a global campaign titled 'Preventing Future Encephalitis: Climate Change and Infectious Disease' to promote the importance of vaccination against the rising threat of encephalitis and other vaccine-preventable diseases. Climate change and encephalitis risk Encephalitis is inflammation of the active tissues of the brain caused by an infection or an autoimmune response. In a release issued on Tuesday, Encephalitis International said the campaign aims to raise awareness about how climate change was exacerbating the risk of encephalitis in India and globally. The UK-based health charity organisation said the warming planet was creating conditions favourable to the spread of infections that can lead to encephalitis. Encephalitis affects over 1.5 million people globally each year - about three people every minute. Yet, nearly 77 per cent of the population remains unaware of the condition, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment, the release said. "As the earth warms, new and emerging infections, including those that cause Encephalitis, will continue to rise. The vectors that can spread infectious diseases like mosquitoes and ticks are moving to new communities and environments," said Ava Easton, chief executive of Encephalitis International. Easton added that changing human and animal interactions and the movement of disease-carrying vectors like mosquitoes into new areas are compounding the risk. India among high-burden countries Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles, meningitis and encephalitis, are increasing globally, whereas diseases like diphtheria, once well-controlled, are also at risk of re-emerging. "Vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the past five decades," the release quoted World Health Organization (WHO)'s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases are increasing around the world, putting lives at risk and exposing countries to increased treatment costs," he said. Vaccination drive is vital India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), one of the world's largest, targets 27 million infants and 30 million pregnant women annually. It provides free vaccination against 12 diseases, including Japanese Encephalitis in endemic areas, the release said. India reported 1,548 cases of Japanese encephalitis from 24 states and union territories in 2024, underscoring the scale of the challenge. Encephalitis International is hosting a global webinar on April 29 to explore the link between climate change and the rising burden of encephalitis, as well as strategies to boost vaccine coverage, especially in rural areas. "A vaccinated world is a safer world - each shot is a step towards freedom from preventable diseases," Netravathi M, professor, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bengaluru, said, highlighting the long-term benefits of vaccination.
