Novel strategy by GoI to enhance

Immunization coverage

Conduction of Special immunization

Weeks

Vaccines are a strong public health tool and Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective

public health interventions to protect children against mortality, morbidity and disability

across the world, but still the immunization coverage rates are suboptimal in certain areas.

With an aim to enhance the immunization coverage in both rural and urban sectors, the

Union government has come up with a novel plan to utilize a week for providing RI

(routine immunization) services to people on priority areas.

The key objective of this campaign is to improve full immunization coverage and reach all

children, particularly in remote, inaccessible and backward areas as well as in urban slums

through Intensification of immunization activity by observing immunization weeks in low

performing areas, areas with no government health care provider(Vacant sub centers) and

high risk areas.

Four rounds of special immunization weeks will be held in low performing areas including

urban slums, migrant and mobile populations and marginalized population etc to rapidly

improve the immunization coverage in the vulnerable unreached infants and children in

these populations

During these four rounds of immunization weeks, Special immunization drives will be conducted in pockets of low immunization coverage and high risk areas on priority basis in

the following selected weeks

ROUND MONTH DATES

1st round April 18.04.2013 to 30.04.2013

2nd round June 03.06.2013 to 08.06.2013

3rd round July 08.07.2013 to 13.07.2013

4th round August 19.08.2013 to 13.07.2013

During these weeks special focus will paid towards migrant, mobile populations, marginalized populations and populations in low-immunization coverage pockets, hard to

reach areas, border villages, which are considered as high risk

A detailed list with exact address of high risk under five different categories – slums, nomads, brick kilns, construction sites and other migratory sites is prepared to immunize the

“invisible children” who haven’t been immunized under the Routine Immunization (RI)

programme.The infants and children in this five categories are vulnerable for VPDs as they

are most of the time on move, missing vaccination shots.

Certain high risk pockets were identified during the preparation of the emergency preparedness and response plan for polio eradication programme

Kurnool district has

Type of high risk area Number

Construction sites 27

Brick kilns 28

Uncovered Periurban areas 15

Urban slums 4

Nomads 4

Chenchu gudems 42

Thandas 61

Hard to Reach areas 13

Border villages 79

Vacant Sub centres 12

NPAP_EPRP blocks 13

Number of PHCs in

NPSP_EPRP high risk areas

46

Low performance PHCs 20

Primary targets will be children under two years and pregnant women who have not received all due vaccines according to the National Immunization Schedule (NIS).

However, other age-group children coming for vaccination will not be denied, if eligible to

receive a vaccine under NIS.

A District Task force meeting for Immunization was conducted on 20.04.2013 where all stakeholders (ICDS,SERP, MEPMA, Municipal authorities, DRDA,IKP) have been

sensitized for the additional efforts under the immunization weeks and solicit their active support in recruitment of social mobilizers.

Under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), children are provided vaccination to

prevent Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus (DPT), Polio, Measles, JE(Japanese Encephalitis),

severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis(BCG), Hepatitis-B and Tetanus toxoid for Pregnant women to prevent Neo natal tetanus.

Various steps have been taken under Immunization programme to increase immunization coverage and these include support for logistics such as Alternate Vaccine Delivery (AVD), capacity building of service providers at all levels as well as strengthening reporting, and

management of Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI).

Efforts have been made for strengthening supportive supervision at all levels as well as involvement of ASHA for social mobilization of children.

In order to track every child for assured delivery of immunization services, a web enabled

name based tracking system (MCTS) has been put in place with a database of children and updating of Micro plans to cover all villages and hamlets is being done along with provision

of MCH_R card for every pregnancy registered. This is expected to improve immunization coverage substantially within the next one year and facilitate real time reporting on

immunization coverage.

A second dose of measles was introduced the previous year and a second dose of JE vaccine is being introduced this year to ensure 100% protection for the infants and children from

Measles and JE.

The financial support is provided under Part C of NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) which was launched as flagship programme by the GoI in 2005 with the objectives of reduction of IMR, MMR and TFR to less than 30, less than 100 and 1.8 by 2015.

District Immunization Officer KURNOOL 518002 Andhra Pradesh India 20.04.2013