Thane district prepares for universal immunisation programme

Thane district starts preparation for its universal immunisation programme beginning on Sunday; a list of 442 pregnant women and children has been prepared by the district health department to ensure all vaccination initiatives that had taken a backseat during the pandemic are undertaken at the earliest; the first phase of ‘Mission Indradhanush’ will begin on March 7 followed by April 4 and May 9

Thane district starts preparation for its universal immunisation programme beginning on Sunday. A list of 442 pregnant women and children has been prepared by the district health department to ensure all vaccination initiatives that had taken a backseat during the pandemic are undertaken at the earliest.

Youngsters taking Covid vaccination in Thane on Thursday. All non-Covid vaccination that had taken a backseat during the pandemic will be covered in the universal immunisation programme in Thane district starting on Sunday. (PRAFUL GANGURDE/HT PHOTO)

The first phase of ‘Mission Indradhanush’ will begin on March 7 followed by April 4 and May 9.

“Through this campaign, 360 children in the age group of 0 to 2 years who were deprived of immunisation and 82 pregnant women will be vaccinated. Further, the campaign will be implemented in rural Ambernath, Kalyan, Shahapur, Bhiwandi and Murbad talukas as well as in Badlapur and Ambernath municipal areas,” said Dr Gangadhar Parge, District Health Officer, Thane.

“The focus of this initiative is to identify those who are deprived of regular immunisation in remote rural areas, brick kilns, slum areas, industrial areas and building construction sites within the district. The immunisation will take place in three rounds. All those whose names aren’t part of our list and are deprived of any vaccine will also be immunised under this initiative,” Parge added.

BCG, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Hepatitis-B, Haemophilus, Influenza-B, Rotavirus, Pneumonia, Meningitis, Measles, Rubella, and Zapgene, Encephalitis vaccines will be administered to those below two years of age who have been deprived of routine vaccination.