ITANAGAR, Jan 30 - Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today formally launched the statewide Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Family Welfare Phurpa Tsering, Chief Secretary Satya Gopal and senior officials of Health department.
Khandu, while launching the campaign at the Chief Minister�s Secretariat here, said that it would begin from February 1 across the state which is aimed at eradicating measles and control rubella in the country.
He appealed to all stakeholders, especially parents, to have their children vaccinated during the campaign that will be held in all educational institutions, health and community cntres. He also called for an active support and cooperation from community based organisations in successful implementation of the programme.
�It is our duty to immunize our children, especially the girl child, and save from the deadly diseases so that our future generation grows up well.�
Khandu directed the Health officials to dedicatedly reach to every child in the age group of 9 months to 15 years and successfully vaccinate the targetted 5 lakh children during the campaign.
Under the campaign, all children in the said age group will be given a single shot of MR vaccination, irrespective of their previous measles/rubella vaccination status or measles/rubella disease status. This additional campaign dose will boost the immunity of child and protect the entire community by eliminating transmission of measles and rubella.
After completion of the campaign, MR vaccine will be introduced in routine immunization and will replace measles vaccine, given at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age of child, the health officials said.
