Aiming at reducing infant mortality rate and giving quality healthcare to expectant mothers in Punjab, the State Government would launch ‘Mission Indradhanush’ to achieve a target of getting 90 per cent infants covered in Punjab under complete immunisation programme by 2020.
On the directions of the Central Government, Punjab Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani would launch the Mission on Tuesday to mark World Health Day. More emphasis would be laid on covering the left-out population under vaccination plan, said a Government spokesperson.
The Centre has identified as many as 201 such districts from across the State with lower infant vaccination rate. Out of these districts, only four are in Punjab — ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Sri Muktasar Sahib.
“During the Mission Inderdhanush, all left-out children below two years and expectant mothers would be covered with vaccination programme. As many as 45,000 infants are expected to be covered in all four identified districts,” said spokesperson.