Second phase of Mission Indradhanush to begin from Sept 11 in Noida

The mission launched in 2014 by the ministry of health and family welfare (MOHFW), aims to vaccinate children under the age of five

The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration and health department are preparing to launch the second phase of Mission Indradhanush in the city on September 11, officials aware of the development said.

The third phase of the mission will begin in Gautam Budh Nagar in the second week of October, officials said. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The mission launched in 2014 by the ministry of health and family welfare (MOHFW), aims to vaccinate children under the age of five against eight vaccine-preventable diseases, including diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles, severe form of childhood tuberculosis, hepatitis B, meningitis, and pneumonia.

Dr. Suneel Kumar Sharma, chief medical officer (CMO), district hospital, said, “The state government has directed that all children who could not be vaccinated during the first phase of the mission, will be covered in the second phase. Teams will visit public places, including slum areas, brick kilns, and construction sites, to identify and vaccinate children who have not yet availed of the service.”

Health department officials said that the mission focuses on vaccinating infants and children of the daily wagers, as they are often deprived of basic health facilities and move from place to place in search of work.

According to Dr. RK Singh, district immunization officer (DIO), around 50% of children were covered during the first phase of the mission, which was conducted from August 7 to 12. “The second phase will run from September 11 to 16, and surveys are being conducted to identify children who can benefit from the free service,” the officer said.

The third phase of the mission will begin in Gautam Budh Nagar in the second week of October, officials said.