The ambitious campaign to vaccinate more than 28 lakh children of State against Measles and Rubella (MR) started on Monday. Chief Minister (CM) Trivendra Singh Rawat inaugurated the campaign at Rajiv Gandhi Navodayaya Vidyalaya on the day. Speaking on the occasion, he said that Measles and Rubella are dangerous and by vaccination these diseases can be prevented.

He said that a better health not only ensures development but also removes socio economic disparities. The CM of Uttarakhand made a vehement appeal to all religious leaders, social organisations and different sections of the society to make the campaign successful. Rawat said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a message of sanitation and it is a social responsibility.

He said that it is a matter of great pleasure that Uttarakhand has become open defecation free state in rural areas and by March 2018 the urban areas of the state would also achieve similar status. The CM said that the state government has taken a pledge to revive Rispana River in Dehradun and restore its old glory.

He said that the eco task force is doing a commendable work in this direction and now the government is planning to involve students in this task. Rawat said that the campaign to revieve Rispana River would be started from its source in landour in Musssoorie.

CM also inspected the place in the school where about 300 students were being administered MR vaccine. The local MlA Umesh Sharma Kau said that the employees of health and other departments should work in synergy for success of the campaign.

Speaking on the occasion the Director General Health Services Dr Archana Srivastava said that the 2835658 children aged between 9 months to 15 year would be administred MR vaccine during the campaign.

She said that the government of India has taken a pledge to eliminate Measles by the year 2020. It is worth mentioning here that about every year more than 49000 children in India die due to measles.

Rubella is commonly referred to as German measles is a mild infection, but can have serious consequences if it occurs in pregnant women.  Measles is highly contagious and spreads through coughing. India accounts for 36 percent of the measles death globally.  Those who survive are more vulnerable to its complications such as diarrhea and pneumonia.

The Mission director National Health Mission (NHM) Chandresh Yadav thanked different agencies and department for cooperating in the campaign.

The additional Chief Secretary Om Prakash, advisor to CM, Dr Navin Balooni, state coordinator of lions Club M l Jakhwal, Member of medical services recruitment board Dr R P Bhatt, representative of WHO Dr Rakesh Vishwakarma, General Secretary of the Uttarakhand Red Cross society Dr I S Pal and others also attended the programme. The event was coordinate by state IEC officer JC Pandey.