Over 2 lakh outreach immunisation sessions held in Haryana

As many as 2,42,276 outreach immunisation sessions have been held in Haryana during year 2013-14 as compared to 1,74,622 sessions held in 2012-13.
While stating this here today, Mission Director, National Rural Health Mission, Dr Rakesh Gupta said that the State has initiated Measles Surveillance in all the 21 districts and is also initiating genetic surveillance of selected measles cases with technical support from National Polio Surveillance Programme (NPSP)- World Health Organisation (WHO).
As many as 126 Alternate vaccinators have been hired to provide immunisation services in urban slums and vacant sub centres, he added.
Dr Gupta said that Health Department is making continuous efforts to increase the coverage of routine immunisation.

Immunisation is one of the most cost effective interventions to decrease morbidity and mortality from vaccine preventable diseases, he said.
Immunisation services are being provided free of cost against eight vaccine preventable diseases to all pregnant women, infant and children.

He said that state has initiated Intensified Routine Immunisation Monitoring to ensure regular monitoring of Immunisation session sites and House to House monitoring.
For this, 52 Immunisation Field Volunteers have been hired as external monitor in coordination with WHO -NPSP.
Similarly, pentavalent vaccination has also been initiated in the state in routine immunisation, he said.
Three doses of pentavalent vaccine are given at the age of six, 10 and 14 weeks to all new-borns as per the National Immunisation schedule with a single prick. It prevents against five diseases that is Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hep-B and Hib-Pneumonia, he said.

He said that as per Coverage Evaluation Survey 2009, evaluated coverage of fully immunised children in Haryana has been increased to 71.7 per cent from 59.6 per cent as per District Level Household Service 2007-08.
Dr Gupta said that Regular Appraisal of Programme Implementation in District (RAPID) a supportive supervision activity was initiated in the State to strengthen the quality of the immunisation services and capacity building of the district staff in immunisation programme.