A series of activities to boost vaccine coverage and public awareness is underway in Bhopal as part of World Immunisation Week, held under the theme "Immunisation for All is Humanly Possible".
The campaign, which began on April 24 and runs till April 30, is focusing on low-performing wards, vacant sub-health centres, and high-risk areas across the city.
Children aged birth to five are being immunised based on updated household lists prepared by ASHA and Anganwadi workers. Special efforts are targeting families in peri-urban areas and multi-storey buildings to ensure no child is missed.
Medical officers, ANMs, community health officers, supervisors, and ASHA workers are undergoing orientation to strengthen ground-level action. Walls of schools, temples, village entry points, and local meeting spots are being painted with slogans promoting timely vaccination.
Last year’s campaign saw over 60,000 children immunised. This year’s efforts aim to support the national target of eliminating measles and rubella by December 2026. Door-to-door surveys are identifying children who missed their MR-1 and MR-2 doses, with thousands already vaccinated.
Pregnant women are also being prioritised through verification of vaccine doses and maternal and child health cards across the district.
Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Prabhakar Tiwari said vaccination remains the strongest shield against life-threatening diseases and urged parents to ensure timely immunisation of their children. Vaccines against hepatitis B, polio, tuberculosis, rotavirus, pneumonia, diphtheria, tetanus, and other major illnesses are being provided free of cost at government health centres throughout the week.