LONGDING, Jan 22: Longding district achieved 97 per cent immunization coverage in the fourth and final round of the Intensive Mission Indradhanush (IMI), improving its earlier performance of 23.56% in the first phase, 70.34% in the second phase and 56.18% in the third phase.
One of the main reasons for low immunization coverage earlier was reportedly due to incorrect data on headcount.
However, during the final round of the immunization drive, Longding Deputy Commissioner VS Mallik made some extra efforts, wherein he involved all the school authorities and the ICDS department to achieve the target.
Medical teams visited each and every village a day ahead of the immunization drive and conducted advocacy meetings with the village chiefs, gaon burahs, church leaders and PRI members. A good number of youths were also engaged and stationed at entry and exit points of jhum fields, so that no children and pregnant women could skip the immunization programme or were left unimmunized.
“The tactic has paid off,” DMO Dr Emo Basar said.
The DMO, the DC and DRCHO Dr S Regia appealed to the people of the district to cooperate with the Health department in achieving cent per cent immunization coverage in the future.
Meanwhile, the district authority has informed that the Measles Rubella Vaccination Campaign is scheduled to start from 1 February for children aged between 9 months and 15 years. (DIPRO)
