Achievements in Immunization Program
Immunization:
Immunization is the safest and most effective way of giving protection against vaccine preventable disease. After immunization, your child is far less likely to catch the disease if there are cases in the community. The benefit of protection against the disease far outweighs the time and money spent on curing the disease.
If all people in the community are immunized, the infection can no longer be spread from person to person and the disease is wiped out from the community. This is how smallpox was eliminated from the world, and polio has disappeared from many countries. India was declared Polio free on 27th March, 2014
Routine Immunization (RI) is a strategic investment for a healthier nation. India’s routine immunization program is dynamic and over the years has evolved to address the changing public health needs of the country.
Tremendous gains have been made in immunization coverage in a country where challenges reflect accessibility, acceptability and availability issues. Assam is one of the best performing states in the country with>91% full immunization status.
Major Achievements under Universal Immunization Program (UIP) in ASSAM:
· Neo Natal Tetanus eliminated from the State of Assam
· Assam received Polio Free Certificate (Polio Type-2) from WHO on 27th March, 2014.
· JE Vaccination for children (age 1 to 15 yrs) has completed in all the 27 districts of Assam and incorporated in the Routine Immunization Programme. Which essentially means that a child who has been immunized there is no likelihood of suffering from JE, which is endemic in Assam. Assam is also the first state in India where adult JE vaccination is given on campaign mode.
· Effective Vaccine Management study was undertaken by medical colleges with the support of UNICEF .Assam has a live vaccine management system in place – eVIN with UNDP support.
· Special Immunization Drive (SID): September 2016, November 2016 and December 2016.
NFHS-4 (2015-16) had put Assam at 47.1 % Full Immunization status while India status was 62%.Political will can herald dramatic change.under the leadership of our Honourable Health Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam undertook the first of a kind immunization drive to vaccinate each and every child in the state in the remotest hamlet, including temporary riverine settlements (chars) and forest settlements which were not ordinarily under the jurisdiction of any Health Sub-centre:
1. An intensified effort to vaccinate all drop out & left out children & pregnant women under UIP.
2. The drive covered areas beyond the general service area of Health Sub Centre - Non cadastral villages, temporary settlements in forest areas, tea estates , char and riverine areas, border areas and hard to reach hilly and normally unaccessible areas i.e. hard to reach areas.
3. Full immunization coverage post SID > 90%.
· Assam is the only state to introduce the Adult JE vaccination campaign and has completed Adult JE Campaign in 18 districts.
· Rota Virus Vaccine was introduced from 14th June'2017.
· Assam has achieved 100% immunization in Mission Indradhanush in July, August, and September, 2018.
· To create felt need among the marginalized community among the Tea Garden Community demand generating activities have been taken through SBCC training and facts for life video show.
· Currently Assam is conducting Measles Rubella Vaccination Campaign wef August, 2018 with the aim of vaccinating all children in the age group 9 mons -15 years. On site vaccination is being given in > 58000 schools/ educational institutions both public and private, besides medical institutions and mobile teams for hard to reach areas with a target group of 94.41 lakh. Till date more than 76.2 lakh children have been vaccinated.