JONAI, April 7 - The Health Department of Jonai subdivision in Dhemaji district has set a target of about 59,591 children (between the age group of 9 months to 14 years) for covering under Measles Rubella vaccination under Jonai Block PHC.
The Health Department conducted a day-long orientation training-cum-workshop for school principals, nodal teachers and ICDS workers on �Measles Rubella Vaccination Campaign� at Jonai on Thursday.
Jonai SDO (C) Nisarge Hivare, who chaired the meeting, requested the participants to help medical department to achieving their goal in prevention of the two fetal diseases, which may affect on the future generations. The SDO, who is the chairman of �Block Level Task Force Committee�, also instructed the Health Department officials and ICDS workers to conduct mass mobilisation on prevention of Measles and Rubella and ensure cent per cent achievement in immunisation.
Explaining the objectives of the training, the Jonai Subdivisional Medical & Health Officer (SDMO), Dr Kishore Kumar Kaman said that the Health Department is partnering primary and middle schools to bring together the students and teacher to participate in the Measles Rubella (MR) campaign. He informed that out of a population of 1,71,000 in Jonai block, 59,591 children from 9 months to below 15 years have been targeted for vaccination. Out of the children about 45, 621 children are studying in various government and private schools and rest 13,970 are in various anganwadi centres and some are school dropouts.
Attending the programme as resource person, Additional Chief Medical Officer of Dhemaji, Dr R Kakoti and SDMO Dr KK Kaman elaborated on the symptoms and the effect of the diseases on community health. The duo informed that measles is a highly infectious viral disease, which kills 49,000 children in India every year. But, the dreaded measles can be prevented by immunising the children with single dose (injection), which is safe and effective.
According to the doctors, Rubella is another viral disease having similar clinical symptoms as measles and affects both children and adults. It can cause disabilities in the newborn if an unprotected mother gets infected with rubella virus in early pregnancy. The virus has the potential to cause abortion, stillbirths and severe birth defects known as �Congenial Rubella Syndrome (CRS)�, including deafness and blindness of the newborn babies.
As per the Health Department's schedule, they will start MR vaccination from the last week of the current month and it will continue till the end of May. The first 14 days of vaccination will be conducted at the school level only. Moreover, a set of community outreach MR vaccination programmes will also be organised to cover the left-out children.
