Ghulam Nabi Azad launches mobile vaccine vans 'National Teeka Express'

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday launched the National Teeka Express, a mobile vaccine van, to protect children from life-threatening childhood diseases.

Minister of State (IC) for Youth Affairs and Sports Jitendra Singh was also present during the occasion.

It may be mentioned that under Routine Immunization Programme, ANMs collect vaccines from storage point (cold chain point) and transport them to session sites, i.e. either sub-centre or anganwari centre for carrying out vaccination.

From 2005-06, Government of India is providing support for distribution of vaccine from last storage point to outreach immunization session sites at Sub-centres/Anganwaris, known as Alternate Vaccine Delivery (AVD) under NRHM. Rs. 79.3 crores was allocated to the states as support for alternate vaccine delivery in 2012-13.

But Government of India noticed gaps in the implementation of Alternate Vaccine Delivery in difficult areas with low access to healthcare services.

Many a times ANMs have to collect the vaccines on the day preceding the immunization day, which may compromise the cold chain maintenance and possible loss of potency of vaccine. Improper storage could also lead to adverse events following immunization.

For this reason, Government of India has launched this innovative and ambitious initiative of Teeka Express.

Designated vehicles under the brand name of 'National Teeka Express' will help not only in distribution of the vaccines and complementary logistics from last cold chain point to immunization session sites but will also ensure holding of sessions at the mobile vaccination centre now.

In order to reduce vaccine wastage and ensure better utilization of vaccines, including costly vaccines like pentavalent vaccine 'Teeka Express' will be used with reverse cold chain to bring back the open and un-used vaccines for use in subsequent sessions.

The Teeka Express will also serve as a mobile healthcare delivery unit for the areas where there is no healthcare facility or health worker. After the immunization outreach session, Teeka Express will collect immunization related bio-medical waste for safe disposal at vaccine storage points. Teeka Express will also collect the coverage and immunization performance reports of the session for compilation and preparation of report at PHC.

Teeka express is planned to be piloted in 69 high priority districts with difficult areas and low immunization coverage. For these districts, 1,850 vehicles are planned to be procured with GoI assistance.

In the first phase the 120 vehicles of 'Teeka Express'' are planned in 6 districts of 5 states namely Rajasthan - Alwar (64 vehicles); Uttar Pradesh - Sharaswati (11 vehicles); Haryana - Mewat (9); Jammu and Kashmir - Doda (8) and Poonch (10) and Madhya Pradesh - Tikamgarh (18). Operational costs of Teeka Express have been provided under NRHM. This includes cost of hiring the driver, cost of POL (Petrol Oil Lubricant) and maintenance costs of the vehicle. Uniform Art work for the stickers, painting and IEC material on Teeka Express has been provided to the states.