Universal immunisation programme coverage 65 pc in 2014:Nadda

The coverage of full immunisation programme, which includes vaccines against diseases like polio, diphtheria and tetanus, was about 65 per cent last year, Health Minister J P Nadda said today.
Under the Universal Immunisation Programme launched in 1985 which covers seven vaccine preventable diseases, "annually, 90 lakh immunisation sessions are conducted and targets (have been set) to cover 2.7 crore new born children and three crore pregnant women annually," he said in Rajya Sabha during Question Hour.
"The full immunisation coverage is approximately 65 per cent in 2014," Nadda said, adding that the government was setting targets for child vaccination in a bid to accelerate immunisation coverage.

In this regard, government in December last year had launched 'Mission Indradhanush' with an aim to cover all those children who were partially vaccinated or not vaccinated. The Mission would be a nationwide initiative with a special focus on 201 "high focus districts", he said.
Four special vaccination campaigns would be conducted from the 7th of every month starting from April and would cover all children less than two years of age and pregnant women for tetanus toxoid vaccine in slected districts.