India Celebrates Health Week to promote Healthy Living

By Lisa

Updated: Tuesday, April 5, 2016, 13:05 [IST]

Ministry of Health and Family and Welfare will be celebrating a Health Week, to mark the World Health Day falling on 7th April 2016. During this week the Ministry will launch several initiatives including an awareness campaign on family planning.

The Ministry will also launch initiatives on diabetes, TB and other communicable and non-communicable diseases. The Health Ministry is also organising a national consultation on setting up of National eHealth Authority (NeHA) to strengthen the health systems.

As part of this celebration Mr. J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, announced the implementation of third phase of Mission Indradhanush from 7th April.

J P Nadda at launch of Health Week:

J P Nadda said that this initiative was launched on 25th December 2014 as a special nationwide initiative to cover all left out and missed out children and pregnant women with the protection of seven vaccines.

This has been expanded to cover provisioning of Vitamin A, ORS packets and Zinc tablets. Two phases of the special drive have been completed, he informed, under which more than 1.48 crore children and 38 lakh pregnant women have been additionally immunised.

He added that of these nearly 39 lakh children and more than 20 lakh pregnant women have been additionally fully immunised. Across 21.3 lakh sessions held through the country in high and mid-priority districts, the Health Minister stated that more than 3.66 crore antigens have been administered.

#MissionIndradhanush: More than 1.42 cr children & nearly 37 lakh pregnant women immunized in first two phases pic.twitter.com/GgLwLuNK3Z
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) April 4, 2016

Video conferencing to spread message:

The Health Minister held video conferencing with Health Ministers from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, and Principal Health secretaries and Mission Directors from the rest of the 27 States and UTS.

Reviewed preparedness of Phase-3 of #MissionIndradhanush in a Video Conference with state health ministers. pic.twitter.com/eh0zOoHF8s
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) April 4, 2016

J P Nadda urged them to put into practice the lessons learnt during the past two phases of Mission Indradhanush for sustained gains. The Minister stated that this would not only help in increasing the immunisation coverage in the states but would contribute to strengthening the health systems.

He congratulated the states for their cooperation and collective effort, and the Health Ministers and Secretaries for their personal involvement and constant monitoring of the immunisation drive.

Phase 3 of Mission Indradhanush:

Phase-3 of Mission Indradhanush of this special full immunisation drive, Mr. Nadda informed will be carried out in 216 select districts in 27 states and UTs. Four intensified immunisation rounds will be conducted for seven days in each between April and July 2016, in these districts.

These 216 districts have been identified on the basis of estimates where full immunization coverage is less than 60 per cent and have high dropout rates.

Four intensified immunization rounds will be conducted for seven days in each between April and July 2016.
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) April 4, 2016

Flagging off the third phase of Mission Indradhanush, Union Health Minister stated that, "Mission Indradhanush has witnessed unparalleled participation and cooperation from health workers at the grass root level in improving the immunisation coverage in difficult areas. The scale and reach of the initiative is unmatched and states have shown massive commitment in coming forth and creating awareness at all levels.

Phase -3 of Mission Indradhanush will be carried out in 216 select districts in 27 states/UTs.

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) April 4, 2016

Mr. Nadda added that the milestones achieved through the programme have led to health systems strengthening which provides us a good opportunity for the introduction of additional life-saving vaccines and ensuring the reach of the immunisation program to each and every child in the country.