Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Government Plans to Eliminate Measles and Tetanus from India

The Government of India has decided to strive towards elimination of measles and Neonatal Tetanus from the country. The Government of India has initiated measles catch-up campaign in year 2010 targeting 13.5 crore children and included second dose of measles vaccine under Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

Neonatal tetanus is prevented by providing tetanus toxoid vaccination under UIP to pregnant women and children. In addition, institutional delivery is promoted for clean and safe delivery through Jannani Suraksha Yojana and other interventions including Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram.


The patients suffering from measles and neonatal tetanus are decreasing. The number of reported measles cases has decreased from 56188 in 2009 to 29462 in 2011. Similarly the number of reported neonatal tetanus cases has decreased from 898 in 2009 to 653 in 2011 as per the report of Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI), Government of India.As per the report of CBHI, the total number of persons who died because of measles and neonatal tetanus during last three years is as below:



Disease

Reported Deaths

2009

2010*

2011*

Measles

48

32

54

Neonatal tetanus

31

13

12
*Provisional

The above information was given by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Rajya Sabha on 20th March.


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