Health minister launches free rotavirus vaccine scheme for kids
Health minister Kali Charan Saraf launched a ‘free rotavirus vaccine programme’ in the state by administering the shots to a few children at a hotel in Jaipur on Thursday.
In districts, zila pramukh or district collector administered the vaccine to children to launch the programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Saraf said the government’s vaccination programme covers TB, polio, diphtheria, meningitis, pneumonia, hepatitis-B and measles. “Diarrhoea is one of the major reasons of death of children up to two years of age and looking into it, the government has decided to include rotavirus vaccine in the vaccination programme,” he added.
The vaccine will be administered to more than 17 lakh children in the state. It will be available at all government health facilities and anganwari centres.
Principal secretary, medical and health, Veenu Gupta said that a target has been fixed to bring down neonatal mortality rate (death within first 28 days) to 16 per 1,000 live births from existing 32 per 1,000 live births.
Besides, the government also has targets to bring down infant mortality rate (death within one year of birth) to 23 per 1,000, and to achieve 90% vaccination by 2025. “The health department with united efforts will make all possible efforts to achieve these targets,” he added.
National health mission chief Naveen Jain said that all health personnel have been trained to administer vaccines.