Awareness rally on Measles Rubella Vaccination held

Lions Club of Silchar Central in association with all the Lions and Leo Club of Silchar organized an awareness rally on Measles Rubella Vaccination campaigning. The rally was flaged off Thursday morning by Dr Lakshmanan S, Deputy Commissioner, Cachar, from DSA Silchar to S.M.Dev Civil Hospital. The Joint Director of Health Services , Addl. CM& HO ,representative of  WHO , UNDP , Other Medical Officers , Officers and staff of Health, ICDS, Patanjali, Urban ASHA also participated in the rally.

India, along with ten other WHO South East Asia Region member countries, have resolved to eliminate measles and control rubella/congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2020. In this direction, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has initiated measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in the age group of 9 months to less than 15 years in a phased manner across the nation. The campaign aims to cover approximately 41 crore children.

The Measles-Rubella campaign is a part of global efforts to reduce illness and deaths due to measles and rubella/CRS in the country. Measles immunization directly contributes to the reduction of under-five child mortality, and in combination with rubella vaccine, it will control rubella and prevent CRS.

All children from 9 months to less than 15 years of age will be given a single shot of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination during the campaign. Following the campaign, MR vaccine will become a part of routine immunization and will replace measles vaccine, currently given at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age of child. For those children who have already received such vaccination, the campaign dose would provide additional boosting to them.

Dr Himanta Biswa  Sarma , Minister of Health & Family Welfare will formally inaugurate the state level programme on 18th August morning at Sankardeva Kalakshetra , Guwahati .