MoHFW to organise measles-rubella vaccination campaign from Feb 7-24

Doctors urged to make their clinic a vaccination centre to extend reach of the campaign

In line with the September 2013 commitment with other WHO-SEAR countries to eliminate measles and control rubella/ congenital rubella syndrome by 2020, India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare introduced rubella vaccine in its Universal Immunization Programmed as a Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine.

Taking this forward, the Ministry has scheduled a MR vaccination campaign from February 7 to February 24 which will cover city schools in its first week. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Puducherry and Lakshadweep are places where the vaccine will be introduced. About 139 million children in India under the age of 9 months to 10 years are susceptible to measles and rubella infection.

Giving more details of the MR vaccination process, which is different from the polio campaign, Dr KK Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and National President, IMA and Dr RN Tandon, Secretary General, Indian Medical Association (IMA), in a joint statement said, “MR vaccine is a single injection and administered by trained professionals. The vaccinations will be free of cost and will target children in the age group of nine months to 15 years. It is a single injection combined and administered in two doses – one, for children between 9 to 12 months and the second for children between 16 months and 24 months. Unlike the polio drops every child between the age of 9 months and 15 years needs to reach the booths for the vaccination.”

The campaign aims to rapidly build up immunity against measles and rubella, and also provides a second opportunity for vaccination against measles for children left out in routine immunisation. As per 2015 data, measles- rubella vaccination coverage has been more than 90 per cent at the national level and about 80 per cent at the district level. The reported incidence rates have reduced up to less than five cases per million.

Urging the medical community to support the campaign and accelerate its progress,Dr Aggarwal added, “Vaccine availability and management are big challenges to the campaign. Moreover quality training, micro planning and monitoring remain imperative. There is a need to sensitise patients and their relatives through mass level awareness campaigns. Doctors are urged to contribute by making their clinic a part of vaccination centre duly coordinated by the state health and family welfare department along with other bodies.”

Vigilant monitoring of adverse effects is also a crucial component of the campaign to improvise existing schemes and strategies. Patient and doctor contribution is of utmost importance in this regard. Caretakers and patients can use IMA PvPI number – 9717776514 – to report adverse events.