Mission Director of National Health Mission Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said that media can play an important role in creating awareness and dispelling any misinformation, if any, after events following immunization.He was talking to media persons at Vidisha before the start of the fourth round of Mission Indradhanush on Friday.He further said, “We need to continue special session for high risk areas even after Mission Indradhanush rounds are complete to sustain gains and strengthen routine immunization. He said that children upto one year of age per block will be awarded of Rs 1000.00, who have being fully immunized after the lottery. This is for Mission Indradhanush district.”
Regional Joint Director of Bhopal division Kiran Shejwar shared that in last three rounds of Mission Indradhanush, 46717 session were held, in reached 2,97,469 children and 91272 pregnant women have been vaccinated. In Vidisha 3387 sessions were held where 22642 children and 7557 pregnant women have been vaccinated.UNICEF’s Health Specialist Dr Vandana Bhatia and UNDP’s Dr Pankaj Somani spoke about the role being played by the agencies.Vandana Bhatia, Health Specialist, UNICEF Madhya Pradesh said that immunization is right of each and every child. She shared steps being taken by UNICEF and other partners in increasing visibility of the mission Indradhanush rounds and monitoring the efforts at ground.
Senior journalist Girish Upadhyay shared that media as member of society has a responsibility and would like to contribute in creating awareness, but we need to have stronger collaboration with health department so that media gets right information to increase discourse.Anil Gulati Communication Specialist, UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh shared the role of media and how it has and can contribute in creating enabling environment, in both routine immunization and Mission Indradhanush.Dr OPTiwari shared success of reaching out to 2100 children in Nateran area of Vidisha which were not being immunized, and during the third round because of the effort of fronltline workers, they were immunized.