Press Release

DTFI for Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign ’19 held at Gyalshing DAC

Information & Public Relations Department

Date: 10-Jun-2019

Gyalshing, 10 Jun (IPR): The coordination meeting regarding District Task Force for immunization (DTFI) for Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign 2019 under District Hospital, Gyalshing was held at the conference hall of District Administration Centre (DAC) in Rabdentse,West Sikkim today.

The meeting was presided over by Additional District Collector, West, Mr. Karma L. Lepcha, along with Chief Medical Officer, West, Dr. Tsheten Namgyal, District Reproductive Child Health Officer, Dr. Anusha Lama, Senior Welfare Officer, Mr. S.K. Alley, Child Development Project Officer, Mr. H.B. Shanker, Deputy Director, Human Resource Development Department, Mrs. K.D. Bhutia, Dy. Director (HRDD), Mr. P.L. Limboo, and other officials.

During the meeting, a detailed discussion was held on MR vaccination campaign implementation strategy besides other key aspects of the vaccination campaign in the district.

The ADC asked all the line departments, educational institutions and other related departments to extend their full cooperation and support within their respective jurisdictions to ensure successful conduct of the campaign.

He instructed the Education, ICDS Departments to furnish the list of students to the Health Department well in advance so that no child is left without vaccination and ensure enormous support from the District administration.

At the outset, Mrs. Lama (DRCHO) informed the meeting that in order to ensure proper implementation of the vaccination campaign the collective and effective involvement of all the departments is very important. She asked all the departments to come forward with committed effort in order to achieve the objective of the campaign i.e to rapidly build up immunity for both measles and rubella diseases and ensure that all the children should receive MR vaccine during the campaign.

Stressing on spreading mass awareness regarding the vaccination, she emphasized on circulating informative materials at public places and asked the IPR Department to make an optimal use of effective communication tools such as social media, electronic media, print media, etc.

She further informed about the involvement of the services of ASHA and Anganwadi workers for the campaign. The training of the required staff to ensure the hassle-free conduct of vaccination campaign was also stressed upon.

The vaccination campaign will be started after summer vacations in the district. The campaign will be carried out in schools, community centers and health facilities. All children from 09 months to less than 15 years of age will be given a single shot of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination during the campaign.

Pertinently, the Measles-Rubella campaign is a part of global efforts to reduce illness and deaths due to measles and rubella/CRS in the country. India, along with ten other WHO South East Asia Region member countries, has resolved to eliminate measles and control rubella/congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2020.