Aim to expand immunisation coverage to 90 pc in 5 yrs: Govt

The coverage under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), operational since 1985, has increased by just four per cent in the last four years, the government today told Parliament while declaring that it is taking steps to expand coverage to 90 per cent in the next five years.
"UIP has been operational in India since 1985. However, the coverage has increased by only 4 per cent in the last four years, which is at the rate of 1 per cent per year.
"The government has launched 'Mission Indradhanush' on December 25, 2014, as a special drive to expand immunisation coverage in India from 65 per cent in 2014 to at least 90 per cent children in the next five years," Health Minister JP Nadda said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

Under 'Mission Indradhanush', 75.5 lakh children have received vaccination while a total of 19.7 lakh children have been fully vaccinated. In addition, a total of 20.8 lakh pregnant women were vaccinated for tetanus toxoid, he said.
The minister said that since the launch of UIP, infant mortality rate and under-five mortality rate due to vaccine preventable diseases has decreased considerably.
"India's infant mortality rate has declined from 80 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 40 per 1,000 live births in 2013 and under-five mortality rate from 126 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 49 per 1,000 live births in 2013.

"This has been possible due to child health interventions, including immunisation," Nadda said.

Replying to another question, he said the government has taken various initiatives to ensure that the Northeastern states are brought on a par with the national average on achieving full child immunisation.
Under the National Health Mission (NHM), Nadda said, mobility support is provided to strengthen supportive supervision and alternate vaccine delivery from the last cold chain point at PHC/CHC to session site. Also, incentives are provided to ASHA for mobilising beneficiaries to the session site.
"The government has conducted four rounds of 'Mission Indradhanush' in 33 high-focus districts in NE states targeting areas with partial immunisation and no immunisation. During these rounds, 5.6 lakh children and 0.53 lakh pregnant women were vaccinated," Nadda said.