The full immunization coverage stands at 92.8%, as per HMIS data from April 2019 to March 2020. However, still there are pockets where children remain deprived of completing the doses of vaccination, on account of various reasons, such as: (i) lack of awareness of benefit of Immunization, (ii) apprehensions of Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI), (iii) Child travelling, (iv) refusal for vaccination and (v) operational gaps. 

Special vaccination drives like Mission Indradhanush, Intensified Mission Indradhanush, Gram SwarajAbhiyaan (GSA), Extended GSA have been carried out to reach the left out and drop out children from vaccination.

Further, to mitigate low immunization coverage, strategic interventions like advocacy, social mobilization, community engagement, inter personal communication at family level and media engagement are undertaken.

The targeted steps being taken by the Government in spreading awareness about the immunization in children across the country are:

• Awareness generation through electronic and print media like radio spots, television, poster, hoardings etc.
• Inter personal communication by front line health workers like Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs)
• Utilizing social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and print media platforms.
• Social mobilization by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and other community workers. The workers are incentivized for same. 

The activities are undertaken by Government bodies in coordination with Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)

Under Mission Indradhnaush and Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) drives, specific immunization sessions are conducted in pockets with low immunization coverage and hard to reach areas where the proportion of unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children is highest.

The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Sh. Ashwini Kumar Choubey stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here today.

 

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MV/SJ

 

 

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