Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 14: Jammu and Kashmir has ranked 2nd in the country with 93% immunization coverage even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Routine immunization programme is one of the important initiatives for preventing children from vaccine preventable diseases of childhood. “In spite of COVID-19 pandemic, full immunization coverage of children in the UT of J&K is 2nd highest among other States/UTs in the Country for the period of April to July 2020 in the recently released Immunization dashboard by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” said a release issued by Health and Medical Education Department, J&K.
The release stated that in the country only 3 States/UTs have shown minimum impact of COVID-19 pandemic on immunization services with more than 90% full immunization coverage, which includes J&K having immunization coverage of 93%. Only Telangana and Uttrakhand are ahead of J&K with 95% immunization coverage, it added.
“As in the current COVID-19 pandemic, World Health Organization has already warned countries that there are high chances of vaccine preventable disease outbreaks like Measles, Diphtheria and Pertussis etc. due to decline in immunization coverage throughout the world, the Department of Health and Medical Education Government of J&K, has kept immunization programme on priority during this COVID-19 pandemic,” the release said.
It maintained that immunization services had been going on at all the health facilities since April 2020 and the department had issued SOPs for conducting immunization sessions and ensured that elaborate arrangements at the session sites like social distancing, wearing face mask and hand washing facilities for the beneficiaries are in place and as a results of these proactive efforts, the department could achieve 93% immunization coverage.
“As per the guidelines issued by Government of India, Health and Family Welfare Department couldn’t conduct sessions in the red zones (Containment Zones) declared by the administration but these children were later covered so that no child is left unimmunized and 100% full immunization coverage of children in the UT is ensured,” the release mentioned.
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