The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) authorities in the State have decided to launch second phase of the immunisation programme Mission Indradhanush in five districts soon.

National Rural Health Mission MD Shalini Pandit has written a letter to disctict Collectors of Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagda asking them make preparations for executing the vaccination drive.

She asked to the Collectors to indentify children and pregnant women who were exempted from vaccination under the first phase of the Mission Indradhanush.

According to reports, the first phase will resume on December 2, the second phase will begin on January 6, 2020, the third on February 3, 2020 and the fourth on March 2, 2020.

A roadmap has been prepared to carry out the programme covering all the villages and slums in these five districts.

Worth mentioning, Mission Indradhanush immunization programme was launched by the Centre in December 2014. To further intensify the programme, the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) on October 8, 2017. The special drive covers low performing areas in selected districts and urban areas. Through the ‘Universal Immunization Programme’ (UIP), the Centre is providing vaccination free of cost against the diseases include diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, severe form of childhood tuberculosis, hepatitis B, meningitis and pneumonia (Hemophilus influenza type B infections), Japanese encephalitis (JE) in JE endemic districts with introduction of newer vaccines such as rotavirus vaccine, IPV, adult JE vaccine, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and measles-rubella (MR) vaccine in UIP/national immunization programme.

In Odisha, the vaccination drive under Mission Indradhanush had started in 10 districts of Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Balangir, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nuapada and Nabarangpur on July 16, 2018.