On October 31, 2019 the union minister of Health and Family Welfare(HWF), science and technology and earth science Dr.Harsh Vardhan launched Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 portal in New Delhi ahead of the launch of IMI 2.0 programme in December 2019-March 2020. The IMI2.0 is a rechristened version of mission Indhradanush-Universal Immunization Programme(UIP) that aims to achieve 100% immunization.
The portal was launched during the celebration of the silver jubilee of the Pulse Polio Programme that was observed on October 2, 2019.
The health minister also launched 2 guidelines. They were
- ‘Strengthening immunization systems to reach every child’ and
- ‘Operational guidelines for Strengthening Td (Tetanus and Diphtheria)10 and Td16 vaccine implementation’.
Key Points:
i.With the launch of UIP, Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) were increased to a count of 12 from the earlier 7.
ii.Target: The portal was designed to obtain information on target of children and pregnant women to be vaccinated during the IMI drive.
iii.Achievements: Mission Indradhanush and programmes related to it, have successfully vaccinated 3.39 crore children and 87.2lakhs pregnant women in the country.
iv.Polio programme: Various initiatives on polio programme, helped the country achieve polio free status in 2014. Entire SouthEast Asia was declared polio free at that time.
Important events: The event started with ‘Beginning of the Polio Journey’ video, followed by National Unity Day Pledge, marking the 144th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.The event finally concluded with the administration of the ‘Immunization Pledge’ by Dr.Harsh Vardhan.
Members present: Jagat Prakash Nadda, former health minister was the chief guest for the event. Minister of State(MoS) of health shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Shri. Devendra Kumar Joshi, Lt. Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands; Shri. Ms. Preeti Sudan, Health Secretary; Ms. Poonam Khetarpal Singh, Regional Director, WHO-SEARO (World Health Organization, South-East Asia Regional Office); Ms. Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), and other officials were present.
Polio programme background:
- In 1988, the World Health Assembly (WHA) passed a resolution to launch the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). In India, the Delhi govt. Undertook first ever immunization campaign- Oral Polio Vaccine(OPV) in 1994.
- From this campaign “Pulse Polio” immunization campaign was born, followed by iconic ‘Do Boond Zindagi Ki’ (Two drops of life) tagline on October 2, 1994 by Dr.Harsh Vardhan who was the then health minister of Delhi. Thus he is now regarded as chief architect of polio programme of India.
About Mission Indhradhanush:
- Launched- 25 December 2014 by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
- To further intensify the immunization programme, PM Modi launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) on October 8, 2017 from which IMI2.0 was born.
