Chief Minister Raman Singh on Tuesday inaugurated the second phase of Mission Indradhanush — a national polio campaign by administering polio
vaccination to two children in a State-level programme organised at the new Circuit House here.
The Chief Minister also launched ‘Calcium Supplement Programme’ for pregnant women and ‘Vitamin K Distribution Programme’ for infants on the occasion.
In his address , Singh said that it is the biggest ever campaign for child vaccination and with this goal, child vaccination targets can be fully achieved only with awareness in society.
The campaign envisages to provide life safety jackets to children in form of vaccination that saves them for numerous diseases, he said.
The Chief Minister said that in Chhattisgarh, percentage of child vaccination is 74.9, which is more than the national average. However we are striving to achieve 100 per cent goal of vaccinating children, he added.
Singh said that this goal can be achieved by creating awareness in society about the campaign and with focused dedication of Health Department.
He said that if Chhattisgarh is the leading State in the nation in terms of implementing health programmes, then the major part of the credit goes to Mitanins of Health Department. Mitanins are dedicated employees of the Department, who are facilitating health services even in the marginal villages of the State.
The inaugural programme was presided over by MP Ramesh Bais. Health Minister Ajay Chandrakar, PWD Minister Rajesh Munat, and MlA Shrichand Sundrani were special guests in the function.
In his address during the programme, CM asked the public representatives and panchayat representatives to actively participate in these programmes of national importance.
He said that first phase of Mission Indradhanush programme was conducted from April to July this year in eight districts namely Bijapur, Dantewada, Raipur, Balodabazar-Bhatapara, Bilaspur, Korba, Jashpur and Surguja, which yielded promising results. In the second phase of Mission Indradhanush which kickstarted on Tuesday, 11 districts namely Balrampur, Surajpur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Kabeerdham, Mungeli, Raigarh, Janjgir-Champa, Sukma, Gariaband, and Koriya will be covered.
Under this campaign, children of age less than two years, who have not been vaccinated before, will be vaccinated. Nearly 66,000 children will be vaccinated in this campaign to meet the given target. This campaign will be conducted in total four phases.
First phase from October 7-15, second phase from November 7-15, third phase from December 7-15 and fourth phase will be held from January 7 till 15.
The Health Minister Ajay Chandrakar has requested citizens, public representatives, and Health Department teams to conduct the campaign like a mass movement and motivate people to ensure vaccination of all children.
He exuded hope that with collective efforts of the Government and public, Chhattisgarh will emerge as the State with highest number of children vaccinated this year.
Secretary, Health Department, Vikassheel informed in his address during the programme that in first phase of Mission Indradhanush, 96 per cent of the State’s target was fulfilled.
He said that along with Mission Indradhanush’s second phase, another programme called 'Calcium Supplement Programme' has been commenced to control MMR, by distributing calcium tablets to pregnant women so as to ensure proper calcium intake from 14th week to sixth month of their pregnancy. Simultaneously, ‘Vitamin K Distribution Programme’ has also been inaugurated for prevention of bleeding in infants.
Welcome speech was delivered by Director Health R Prasanna and vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Ayyaz Fakir Bhai Tamboli, Director Nation Health Mission.
A number of public representatives, officials-employees, parents and mitanins attended the function. Chief Minister administered polio drops to two-year-old Kavya Joshi and one-and-a-half-year-old Shanu Vaishnav of Bhilai-3.