To ensure vaccination of all sections of the society, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Monday launched the ‘Intensified Mission Indradhanush 5.0’ (IMI 5.0) — aimed at overcoming barriers including vaccine hesitancy, myths, and taboos relating to vaccination.
The event highlighted the importance of vaccinating eligible children and strengthening immunity in the face of existing challenges. A Media Sensitisation Meeting, in collaboration with Momentum Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity Project (M-RITE), was also organized along with the launch event.
“As a part of IMI 5.0, the Health Department will focus on overcoming the issues that hindered vaccination coverage and also cover the population that were left out of Routine Immunization efforts,” said the Minister.
Dr Balbir said that the State has conducted comprehensive training at various levels to emphasize the importance of reaching out to those, who had not been vaccinated or are only partially vaccinated and incorporating them into the immunization program. “Punjab Health Department has planned 6,156 sessions to target 60,670 children (0-5) and 10,163 pregnant women,” he said.
The Minister also emphasized that the campaign prioritizes children aged 0 to five years who have not received any vaccines, with the ultimate goal of providing life-saving vaccinations to all eligible children. “Additionally, it represents a significant step towards nationwide Measles and Rubella elimination, ensuring that every child under five years completes the crucial two-dose schedule of Measles and Rubella Containing Vaccine (MRCV),” he added.
The state Health Secretary Dr Abhinav Trikha underlined the integration of technology via the U-WIN portal. “This state-of-the-art platform enables healthcare professionals to effectively track and document the vaccination status of children and expectant mothers, ensuring complete coverage and prompt interventions,” he said.
Director Health and Family Welfare Dr Adarshpal Kaur appealed to the health staff to reach out to the marginalized sections of the society for the success of this campaign.
Director Health Services (Family Welfare) Dr Hitinder Kaur presented a detailed overview of the campaign and assured the Health Minister for 100 per cent achievement of the targets in the campaign.
Dr Gopal Krishna Soni, Project Director, USAID-supported M-RITE, said: “The project under the guidance of the Punjab State Government has successfully administered COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable and marginalized populations in the state.
