MG-VACCINE

Over 10 lakh children were

given Measles-Rubella vaccines in Meghalaya taking the

vaccination coverage in the state to over 92 per cent, a

senior Health department official said on Thursday.

"Out of 11.56 lakh children, 10.67 lakh were

vaccinated during MRVC with the coverage of the vaccination to

over 92 per cent," Health secretary Pravin Bakshi said.

He was addressing at the state level workshop on the

MR vaccination and Intensified Pulse Polio Immunisation

programme here.

"Though the state has achieved 92 per cent, the target

is to achieve 95 per cent by intensifying in the days ahead,"

Bakshi said.

The health secretary has also stressed on the need to

give special focus in areas where vaccination was refused and

also the check the size of the population of such areas.

In districts where coverage percentage is low, Bakshi

said dedicated cells would be created to make calls to private

hospitals, schools and community about the importance of the

vaccination.

In the last couple of years, about five outbreaks have

been investigated in the state in which three cases were

confirmed positive for Rubella while the other two cases were

confirmed positive for Measles, according to Health department

statistics.

Measles and rubella are highly infectious viral

infections that can cause severe disabilities like blindness,

brain fever, deafness, mental retardation and even death due

to complications like chest infection and diarrhoea.