Over 10 lakh children in Meghalaya given MR vaccine

Over 10 lakh children were given Measles-Rubella vaccines in Meghalaya taking the vaccination coverage in the state to over 92 per cent, a senior Health department official said on Thursday.

"Out of 11.56 lakh children, 10.67 lakh were vaccinated during MRVC with the coverage of the vaccination to over 92 per cent," Health secretary Pravin Bakshi said.

He was addressing at the state level workshop on the MR vaccination and Intensified Pulse Polio Immunisation programme here.

"Though the state has achieved 92 per cent, the target is to achieve 95 per cent by intensifying in the days ahead," Bakshi said.

The health secretary has also stressed on the need to give special focus in areas where vaccination was refused and also the check the size of the population of such areas.

In districts where coverage percentage is low, Bakshi said dedicated cells would be created to make calls to private hospitals, schools and community about the importance of the vaccination.

In the last couple of years, about five outbreaks have been investigated in the state in which three cases were confirmed positive for Rubella while the other two cases were confirmed positive for Measles, according to Health department statistics.

Measles and rubella are highly infectious viral infections that can cause severe disabilities like blindness, brain fever, deafness, mental retardation and even death due to complications like chest infection and diarrhoea.