Mobile vaccine vans to make healthcare services more convenient in Kashmir

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri District have introduced mobile vaccine vans to provide healthcare services at the doorstep and to protect children from life-threatening diseases.

Under the scheme of the National Rural Health Mission, Teeka Express, a mobile vaccine van, was launched in Rajouri District.

Designated vehicles under the brand name of 'National Teeka Express' will help not only in the distribution of the vaccines and complementary logistics from the last cold chain point to immunisation session sites, but will also now ensure sessions at the mobile vaccination centre itself.

In order to reduce vaccine wastage and ensure better utilisation of vaccines, including costly vaccines, 'Teeka Express' will be used with a reverse cold chain to bring back open and un-used vaccines for use in subsequent sessions.

The Block Medical Officer, Nowshera, Shamim Choudhary said the van would benefit residents of the border area.

"People are benefitting by these mobile vaccine vans as this is a hot region and people used to face difficulty due to unavailability of vaccines. Earlier, there was a difficulty in carrying the vaccines. But now with the express, essential vaccines are being delivered on time, especially in the border areas. People in the border areas are very happy." said Choudhary.

The Teeka Express will also serve as a mobile healthcare delivery unit for areas where there is no healthcare facility or health worker.

Hailing the new service, a resident, Mohammad Farooq, lauded the efforts made by the state government.

"The government which has launched the 'Teeka Express' under a scheme will benefit people as those in the far flung areas did not get adequate healthcare services and were facing difficulty in getting proper vaccination for their children. So, with this people will get respite and now they will not have to travel for the vaccination," said Farooq.

The authorities launched a massive public health initiative to vaccinate all children under five against polio.