HEALTH MINISTER DR. BALBIR SINGH LAUNCHES INTENSIFIED MISSION INDRADHANUSH 5.0

Chandigarh/Mohali, September 11: 

          In order to ensure vaccination of all sections of the society as per the vision of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Monday launched the intensified Mission Indradhanush 5.0 (IMI 5.0), aimed at overcoming barriers including Vaccine Hesitancy, Myths and Taboos relating to vaccination.

          The event highlighted the importance of vaccinating eligible children and strengthening immunity in the face of existing challenges. A Media Sensitisation Meeting in Collaboration with MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity Project (M-RITE) was also organised along with the launch event. Secretary Health-cum-Mission Director NHM Punjab Dr Abhinav Trikha was also present.

          Dr Balbir Singh said that as part of IMI 5.0 the health department will focus on overcoming the issues that  hindered vaccination coverage and also cover the population that were left out of Routine Immunization efforts. The state has conducted comprehensive training at various levels to emphasize the importance of reaching out to those, who had not been vaccinated or are only partially vaccinated and incorporating them into the immunization program. "Punjab Health Department has planned 6156 sessions to target 60670 children (0-5) and 10163 pregnant women," he said.

          He also emphasized that this campaign prioritizes children aged 0 to 5 years who have not received any vaccines, with the ultimate goal of providing life-saving vaccinations to all eligible children. "Additionally, it represents a significant step towards nationwide Measles & Rubella elimination, ensuring that every child under 5 years completes the crucial two-dose schedule of Measles and Rubella Containing Vaccine (MRCV)." he added.

          Dr Abhinav Trikha underlined  the integration of technology via the U-WIN portal. "This state-of-the-art platform enables healthcare professionals to effectively track and document the vaccination status of children and expectant mothers, ensuring complete coverage and prompt interventions." he stated.

          Director Health and Family Welfare Dr Adarshpal Kaur appealed to the health staff to reach out to the marginalized sections of the society for the success of this campaign.

          Director Health Services (Family Welfare) Dr Hitinder Kaur presented a detailed overview of the campaign and she assured the Health Minister for hundred percent achievement of the targets in the campaign.

          Dr Gopal Krishna Soni, Project Director, USAID supported M-RITE,said, "The project under the guidance of the Punjab State Government has successfully administered COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable and marginalized populations in the state.

Box: What is MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity Project

MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity Project, supported by USAID, has mandated John Snow Research & Training Institute (JSI) to provide technical assistance to National and State Governments to ramp up COVID-19 Vaccination in India. John Snow India Pvt Ltd, an affiliate of JSI US is working in close collaboration with the Government of India to strengthen their outreach and delivery efforts with communities for vaccination; and through partnerships with local NGOs to increase demand, distribution and uptake of COVID-19 vaccination, particularly for vulnerable and marginalized populations across selected 18 states/UTs of India.