Gujarat government launches measles-rubella vaccination drive

The state government launched the Measles-Rubella vaccination drive across Gujarat. The drive will cover about 1.6 crore children in the age group of 9 months to 15 years, on Monday.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani launched the drive at a school in Gandhinagar. Speaking on the occasion, Rupani said that school-going children would be covered under the drive in the first two weeks, and those going to anganwadis in the next two. He said that the fifth week will be to vaccinate children who miss out in the first four weeks, "to ensure that no single child remains unvaccinated".

According to officials, the health department has deputed 10,000 people for the vaccination drive, which is a part of the nation's biggest injectable vaccination drive to be undertaken in 20 states.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said in Vadodara that the state government has received Rs 300 crore grant from the Centre for the drive.

"We want all sections of the society to participate to make the drive a success," he said.

Chief Secretary JN Singh said the vaccine would be administered free at all government hospitals.

DRIVE TO RESOLVE

City-based NGO Samvedana announced the 300-day-long Sattva Drive 2 in association with the Integrated Child Development Services on Monday. The pilot project was conducted from June 2016 to September 2017