Dr Harsh Vardhan reviews preparedness for rollout of IMI 2.0 vaccination drive on Dec 2

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday reviewed the preparedness in states ahead of the rollout of Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 on December 2.

According to him, the government is all set to launch the IMI 2.0 between December 2019 and March 2020 to escalate efforts to achieve the goal of attaining 90 per cent national immunisation coverage.

The IMI 2.0 aims at achieving the target of full immunisation coverage in 272 districts in 27 states and implement it at block-level (652 blocks) in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

"While we are required to achieve 90 per cent immunisation coverage target, we should all aim to ensure that not even one child dies of vaccine-preventable diseases, especially when we have a basket of vaccines as part of our routine Universal Immunisation Program (UIP)," said Dr Vardhan said.

"With the launch of the IMI 2.0, India has the opportunity to achieve further reductions in deaths among children under five years of age, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending preventable child deaths by 2030," he added.

The Union Minister interacted with State Principal Secretaries and National Health Mission (NHM) Directors and Immunization Officers of several states. Health Ministers from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Odisha also participated in the video conference (VC).

Dr Vardhan also emphasised the importance of immunisation of children and pregnant women as part IMI 2.0 and the high priority being accorded by the Health Ministry for achieving full immunisation coverage targets.

Several ministries including the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Youth Affairs among others will come together to make the mission a resounding success.