AP Bureau
Bhubaneswar, 2nd Oct 2017: Odisha is a lead performer in immunization coverage of children and pregnant women at national level. Full package immunization coverage in 29 districts was found more than 84%, according to an official release.
Reviewing the progress, Chief Secretary Sri Padhi directed the health & family welfare department to ensure 100% immunization coverage of all children and pregnant women on head count basis in the districts where IMR and MMR rate was found high. He also directed the department to expedite the primary health care network programme in all Urban Local bodies.
As per National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS4) of 2015-16 full immunization coverage in Odisha was around 79% against the national average of 62%. The achievement of the State scaled up to around 84% in the Integrated Child Health & Immunization Survey (INCHIS) of 2016.
Activities under Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) in one district and one ULB namely Ganjam and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation because of comparatively less immunization coverage in these areas to be intensified according to the release.
Odisha was among lead performing States in Pulse Polio immunization campaign launched in 1995, Hepatitis-B programme implemented in 2011, Pentavalent vaccination and Maternal & Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) programme in 2015 and Injectable Polio Immunization drive introduced in 2016. It was decided to start Missile Rubella (MR) campaign from January, 2018 in the State.
