Odisha has topped the country with 90.5% of full immunization coverage. While 20 districts of the state were above 90% in full immunization, 10 districts are still in focus due to coverage below 90%, health officials said while speaking at a media sensitization programme.

‘Intensified Mission Indradhanush’ (IMI) IMI was rolled out in the state for boosting full immunization coverage of both mother and children in the post pandemic scenario under which Odisha was the only state in the country to achieve 90.5% of immunization apart from the successful Covid vaccination as per NFHS 5 report, said Prativa Pradhan, Joint Director, Immunization, Department of Health and Family Welfare in a media sensitization programme held under the joint initiative of UNICEF Odisha and Department of Health and Family Welfare.

The UNICEF Odisha and Department of Health and Family Welfare, Odisha organized the media sensitization programme on IMI) and Covid Vaccine for children in Jharsuguda, Keonjhar and Kendrapara districts.

“Despite the COVID restrictions, routine immunization remained a focus area for the state government. While the health workers were busy with COVID duties, special vaccinators were outsourced to keep the regular immunization in place. Even in the containment zones special vaccination drives were held for immunization of children. With all these measures, Odisha has topped the country with 90.5% of full immunization coverage”, said Prativa Pradhan, Joint Director, Immunization, Department of Health & Family Welfare.

“The Universal Immunization Programme is one of the largest immunization programs in the world where we are aiming to vaccinate around 3 core pregnant women and 2.7crore new born babies. Similarly in Odisha, around 9.5 lakh pregnant women and 8 lakh newborn babies are vaccinated every year. Under the Universal Immunization Program, immunization against 12 diseases including Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Polio, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hemophilia, Diarrhea, Pneumonia, Measles, Germany Measles and Japanese fever is provided”, Anil Patnaik from UNICEF Odisha, said.

“The Routine Immunization at present is going on at a rapid pace to achieve the target and soon we will cover all the beneficiaries. In Covid Vaccination, coverage of the first dose has been quite good.

However, in second dose coverage rate is around 85 percent and we are planning to increase the coverage with the help of ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ initiative and try to reach more than 90% in next 15 days”, Sachidananda Mishra, ADPHO(FW), Kendrapara said.