Mangaluru: Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader held a press meet at Eden Club here, on September 24.
Addressing the mediapersons, Minister Khader said that the Government of India is committed to reduce child mortality and morbidity in the country by improving the total immunization coverage through the Universal Immunization Programme and introducing new and efficacious vaccines for Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD).
He further said that the programme provides vaccination against seven life-threatening diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B in the entire country. Despite being operational for the past 30 years, only 65% of children in India receive all vaccines during their first year of life. It is critical to identify the districts where focused efforts with systematic immunization drive and additional resources will be required for reaching all children with the available life-saving vaccines.
He also said that due to lack of immunization, nowadays most of the youth and children suffer from various diseases. “We need healthy children and healthy youth. In this regard, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched “Mission Indradhanush” in December 2014 to achieve more than 90% immunization coverage in the country. Based on prioritization, the country has been categorized into high, medium and low focus districts. Phase 1 of Mission Indradhanush will target 201 high-focus districts with four rounds of activity planned between April and July 2015. Phase 2 will target 297 medium-focus districts without four rounds of activity planned between October 2015 to January 2016. These high and medium focus district account for 88% of the total missed children.”
“The government of Karnataka has successfully conducted phase 1 of Mission Indradhanush from April to July 2015 in six high priority districts of the state and now in phase 2, the project will be conducted in another 17 districts from October 7. Every month from 7th to 17th, a 7-day programme will be conducted and it will go on for four months.”
He also said that the state will depute senior state officers to districts as state monitors. The campaign is also being monitored by WHO surveillance medical officers and external monitors; the state will take extensive IEC campaign to bring awareness among the people. The state has also released sufficient funds to all the districts to carry out the campaigns.
“In March 2014, we had started the Non-communicable diseases pilot project in Dakshina Kannada district with the support of the World Bank and the project will continue till March 2016. Under the NCD project, 93 nurses have been appointed under contract basis to primary health centres. To prevent non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer of the uterus and hypertension, they will be diagnosed at the primary level and will be treated if found. We have started the NCD pilot project in Dakshina Kannada and Davanagere. We will appoint nurses in every PHC on contract basis. Screening will be done at the primary level. Every patient will be checked for diabetes and hyper tension. Screen tests will be conducted in every house to find out if anyone has diabetes, hypertension or cancer of the uterus. If anyone is found to have diabetes or hypertension, they will be treated free of cost. The inauguration of the NCD Pilot Project will be inaugurated on October 5, 2015 at TMA Pai hall. Members of the Zilla and Taluk Panchayats will also be trained. The local representatives should join hands with the Health Department to reach every household to enlighten them about the Arogya Shree scheme. Under Arogya Shree scheme, lab testing, insulin injections and all medicines will be provided free of cost. The World bank will be funding the scheme and every PHC will get Rs 2 lakh including medicines (at all Taluk hospitals (4), community hospitals and primary health centres (66)). The pilot project will continue till March 2016, and then will be extended.”
District health officer Dr Ramakrishna and others were also present.
