As part of state wide Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign (M-RVC) which was launched on October 3, the Medical department has been implementing the campaign across the state.
CMO Kohima: Office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kohima reported that the M-RVC was being implemented in Kohima with a work force team from the CMO led by DPO (UIP-RCH), Dr. Rupert Peseyie, the district administration led by the DC, Rajesh Soundararajan and allied departments viz. Social Welfare and School Education.
A press release from CMO office stated that there were certain areas “resistant” to the vaccination campaign for which “intensive one-on-one meetings” were being conducted to reach out to the people.
While accepting that it was a major task to reach out to each and every child from 9 months to 15 years of age, CMO Kohima, Dr. Ritu Thurr, has thanked the allied departments, communities (especially ward chairmen), youth leaders and parents for relentlessly supporting the medical department in vaccinating the targeted children.
According to the CMO, as of October 16, the district team has vaccinated 38558 children which is 61.18% of the total target, out of which 1216 is outreach activity. The CMO has also called upon the public for their support for the success of the campaign.
UPHC Tuensang: A one day special outreach health camp was organised by the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) Tuensang on October 17 at Old Medical ‘B’ Tuensang Town.
A press release from the office of CMO Tuensang stated that the DC Tuensang, Jamithung Lotha and monitoring team RRT (WHO), Dr. Praful Singh visited the outreach session.
The medical team was headed by Dr. Imliyatet MO (UPHC) and Dr. Mukemchem Yim MO (SHP), who was assisted by the ANMs, the pharmacist and lab technician of UPHC.
The released stated that 50 OPTs were registered and given free medical services and 138 children also have been given the Measles-Rubella Vaccines during the camp. The next special outreach health camp will be conducted on October 18 at High School ‘A’ Sector Tuensang Town.
Our Tuensang correspondent adds: The Measles and Rubella Vaccination Campaign was successfully conducted from October 3 to 15, in Tuensang district. According to District Media Officer Tuensang, Apheang, the targeted children of ages 9 months to 15 years, were 47346 in number. Out of these, 35959 (76%) children were vaccinated on day 13. The medical department of Tuensang covered 250 schools in all eight blocks of Tuensang district. The DMO also said that the remaining missed out children will be covered in the community levels by the end of October.
ARPS Kohima: Kohima Assam Rifles Battalion under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) organized an M-RVC camp on October 15 at Assam Rifles Public School, Kohima (ARPS) Garrison.
A press release by Assam Rifles stated that the program was inaugurated by ARPS Kohima principal, Ranjana Bhattacharya.
A team from the district immunization department, Kohima with one doctor and four nurses, administered the vaccination to the children. Chief Medical Officer of Kohima garrison hospital along with a medical team participated in the program.
Zunheboto: The Department of Health and Family Welfare, Zunheboto launched the largest ever health intervention to immunize 25,197 children in the age group of 9 months to 15 years, against Measles and Rubella. District Media Officer of the CMO’s office Zunheboto, Shekho Sophie in a press release said that so far 18,047 children have been vaccinated across the district without any untoward incidents.
Initially, the campaign hit some hurdles because of rumour mongering and superstitions, mainly shared on social media platforms. The administration, Police, Health and Education department teams assisted by the Social Welfare Department contained the situation in time by dispelling false rumours and explaining the benefits and importance of this vaccination drive.
Dr. Alemwabang Aier thanked school authorities, parents, health workers and development partners for helping the department successfully vaccinate children of the target population in the district. He also expressed immense gratitude to religious leaders, the different organisations, and individuals for coming out openly to dispel the misinformation and doubts spread about the vaccination campaign.
“The campaign took enormous effort and advocacy to convince everyone including parents why even older children needed to be vaccinated” stated the release. In order to install confidence in the minds of the people about the safety of the vaccinations, leaders vaccinated their own children first. According to Shekho, despite the difficult terrain and hardship, the medical personnel are trying their best to reach all the children.
The department earnestly appealed to all parents to cooperate with them and come forth to get all children between 9 months and 15 years immunized with the MR vaccine and be protected from the life-threatening Measles and Rubella diseases.