Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 06:
To step up the immunisation programme and reduce the mortality rate of pregnant mothers and protect children from diseases like tetanus, typhoid, diphtheria, measles, etc, the half yearly review meeting of the health related programmes being taken up in the State was held today.
The meeting held at the conference hall of the Old Secretariat with Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh in the chair was attended by the Medical Officers of various districts, officials of Family Welfare, Social Welfare, Regional Directors and the Health Director.
In the meeting, the Chief Secretary expressed serious concern over the low rate of immunisation in the State during 2006-07 and grilled the officials in this regard.
The officials also apprised the Chief Secretary with the various problems being faced by them in carrying out the immunisation programme for pregnant mothers and children between the age group of 0-6 years.
The officials quoted lack of adequate doctors in the hill districts as well as in remote areas of the valley districts, absence of doctors at their place of posting, negligence of doctors by the nurses and other health workers and lack of awareness among the people of the importance of immunisation among others as the main causes for low rate of immunisation in the State.
The rate of immunisation recorded during 2006-07 was only a lowly 52 percent.
The overall rate of TT immunisation among the pregnant mothers in the State during the period from April to July was very low with just 15.03 percent.
Among the districts, Ukhrul recorded the lowest immunisation rate during the said period with just 129 pregnant mothers immunised against TT (I), 103 against TT (II) and 28 against TTB as against the target set for covering 3155 pregnant mothers.
Similarly, the immunisation rate of children against BCG and DPT was also very low in the State during the said period.
As against the target of covering 44897 children for BCG, only 14524 children have been immunised.
As against the target set for covering 44897 children, only 14845 children have been immunised against (DPT (I), 13956 children against DPT (II) and 12752 children against DPT (III).
The target set for OPV was also the same, but only 14144 children have been immunised against OPV (I), 13635 against OPV (II) and 12954 children against OPV (III) in the State.
Moreover, the number of children who have been immunised against Measles was only 11483 children during the said period from April to July this year.
Towards the end of the meeting, the Chief Secretary exhorted all the officials to work hard with dedication and sincerity so that percent cent of the target set for the immunisation programme can be achieved during 2008.