STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Government of India aimed to eradicate measles and rubella from the country by December this year, and in regards to this, Kamrup (M) District Commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha directed the Health Department to ensure that every child in Kamrup (M) receives the measles and rubella vaccinations on time. In regards to this, a meeting of the district task force chaired by DC Pallav Gopal Jha on Wednesday discussed the steps to achieve the target of eradicating measles and rubella.
The meeting discussed the measures taken and to be taken to eradicate the two diseases, including vaccination. The meeting was attended by Dr. Arup Deka, Consultant Physician, World Health Organization (WHO), who explained the seriousness of measles and rubella. He said the first dose of the measles and rubella vaccine should be given between 9 and 12 months of age and the second dose between 16 and 24 months of age. The second dose of the small pox and rubella vaccine in 2022–23 has been given to 86 per cent of the population in Kamrup (M). At the state level, the rate is 84 percent. There have been no outbreaks of small pox or rubella in Kamrup (M) so far. He directed the Health Department to work in mission mode to ensure that every child who received the first dose of vaccine also received the second dose. The DC asked the district social welfare officer to submit a report on whether any children coming to the Anganwadi centres have been deprived of the vaccine. The meeting was attended by the Additional Commissioner in Charge of the Health Department, Jharna Patgiri, Assistant Commissioner Anurag Rudra, Joint Director of the Health Department, Dr. Kandarpa Kumar Das, and other officials of the Health Department and other departments.
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