Why in News?

• Government is poised to launch Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 between Dec 2019-March 2020 to deliver a programme that is informed by the lessons learnt from the previous phases.

Importance of Immunisation:

• The government is dedicated to achieving the highest standards of health and well-being for the nation. Immunisation programme is a critical component of its commitment towards Universal Health Coverage.
• It is integral to India’s efforts of reducing the burden of vaccine preventable diseases and achieving universal care for children.
• According to National Family Health Survey -4, the full immunisation coverage is around 62%.The factors limiting vaccination include:
• Rapid urbanisation
• Presence of large migrating and isolated populations that are difficult to reach
• Low demand from under informed and unaware populations.

Universal Immunisation Programme:

• Government of India had launched ‘Expanded Program for Immunisation’ in 1978, which was later termed as ‘Universal Immunisation Program’ in 1985 aiming to reduce mortality and morbidity among children from vaccine preventable diseases.
• India has achieved groundbreaking success in eradicating/eliminating life-threatening vaccine preventable diseases by systemically implementing vaccination programmes. These include small pox, polio and maternal and neonatal tetanus.
• Despite this, persisting challenges such as vast population, poor sanitation and hygiene, and a difficult geographical terrain that make containing outbreak of disease and increasing access to vaccines difficult.
• Owing to low childhood vaccination coverage, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched Mission Indradhanush in 2014 to target under-served, vulnerable, resistant and inaccessible populations.
• These included pregnant women and children who had previously been left out, or had dropped out, of immunisation programmes.
• The Universal Immunization Programme provides life-saving vaccines to all children across the country free of cost to protect them against Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Hepatitis B, Pneumonia and Meningitis due to Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib), Measles, Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Rotavirus diarrhoea. (Rubella, JE and Rotavirus vaccine in select states and districts).
• In 2017, to accelerate the progress of immunisation Intensified Mission Indradhanush was launched. It aimed to achieve 90% Full Immunisation Coverage with focus towards districts and urban areas with persistently low levels.
• Now the government is poised to launch Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 between Dec 2019-March 2020 to deliver a programme that is informed by the lessons learnt from the previous phases and seeks to escalate efforts to achieve the goal of attaining a 90% national immunisation coverage across India.
• In order to mobilise the identified beneficiaries, there is intensive collaboration with other ministries, civil society, NGOs, youths, etc.

Conclusion:

• With the launch of Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0, India has the opportunity to achieve further reductions in deaths among children under five years of age, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending preventable child deaths by 2030.
• Vaccines are a truly critical intervention of attaining disease free India and are the key to safeguarding our present, and building a healthier tomorrow for our future generations.