YUPIA, 31 Jul: Eleven cases of measles were reported in Papum Pare district till July this year inspite of 94 percent MR vaccine coverage, surveillance medical officer at WHO Dr. Ranadeep Saha said.
He emphasized the importance of timely vaccination and ensuring that all children in the district are fully immunized according to the national immunization schedule and strategies to increase community awareness and engagement.
Dr. Saha on Wednesday gave a presentation on routine immunization and strategies to eliminate Measles Rubella during a meeting of the District Task Force on Immunization here on Wednesday.
During the meeting, he discussed strategies to improve outreach especially, in hard-to-reach areas, and to address the challenges posed by vaccine hesitancy.
The meeting was convened to review the progress and strategize future actions for routine immunization, the health management information system, key performance indicators and the ongoing efforts to control measles and rubella in the district.
The meeting brought together representatives from the district health department, immunization officers, medical officers, HMIS coordinators, and representatives from education and women and child developments with the goal of improving health outcomes and ensuring that every child and pregnant woman receives the necessary vaccinations.
Chairing the meeting, ADC Tame Yajum called for concerted effort from all the stakeholders to generate a well-vaccinated healthy pool of people.
Terming doctors as ‘next to god’ with a special emphasis on doctors serving in the outpost, she said that “For the rural people, doctors in the outpost are the saviours. It becomes our prerogative to stay in our posting places and serve the public,” the ADC said.
DRCHO Dr. Neyang Nitik gave a detailed report on the current status of routine immunization coverage. The report highlighted key achievements, challenges and gaps in reaching the target population.
Dr. Nitik directed the MO in-charges of the health centres to submit the RI micro plans at the earliest.
DMO Dr. Reena Ronya appealed to all stakeholders to work collaboratively towards achieving the district’s immunization targets and improving overall health of the district. She also urged all the departments to ensure coordinated efforts and regular follow-ups on the action points discussed during the meeting. (DIPRO)
