Children immunization: Mission Indradhanush starts across Telangana

In Telangana state, the third phase of the Mission Indradhanush will be held across the state for a week from today to provide complete immunization to children below two years. The State Chief Programme officer of the National Health Mission Dr G Srinivas Rao informed that over 52 thousand children were immunized during the first two phases in the state. He hoped that the third phase of immunisation will fill the systematic gaps in implementing the immunization programme in the state. The National Immunization Mission had been implemented in all ten districts of the state during the first and second phases held earlier during the year. According to the Comprehensive Household Survey held by the state Government, the Immunisation coverage of children below the age two years age group was little less than 50 per cent in the state. Out of an average 6.3 lakh births registering every year, over 3 lakh children were not completing full course of immunisation. This used to result into high Infant Mortality Rate of about 35-39 deaths per every thousand births. Ever since the national immunisation programme, Mission Indradhanush launched in April this year in Adilabad and Mahaboobnagar and in the rest of the state during the month of October, the hopes of bringing down this IMR rate further rose among the health authorities. Chief Programme Officer for National Health Mission Dr Srinivasa Rao informed that the situation is changing fast due to the focussed efforts under Mission Indradhanush. A total 52 thousand 433 children were covered under the Mission during the first two phases. However, the health authorities are hopeful of improving the IMR rates further during the third round starting today and the last round to be held in January next year.