: Mumbai, January 21, 2020

A one-day workshop for registered Song and Drama Troupes on "Mission Indradhanush 2.0" was organised by Regional Outreach Bureau (ROB), Pune, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting  along with Ministry of Health & Family Welfare at Bhanudas Chavan Auditorium in Aurangabad today (January 20, 2020).

Through this workshop, organised in view of National Immunisation Day which falls on January 19 (yesterday), the Government aims to reach out to 26 districts of Maharashtra by conducting 260 programmes of private registered song and drama troupes within the span of a month. Notably, the Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 aims to immunize children less than 2 years of age and pregnant women against eight vaccine-preventable diseases. The immunisation drive covers vaccines for tuberculosis, meningitis, measles, Hepatitis B, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis and diphtheria. The vaccines for two other diseases- Hemophilus influenza and Japanese encephalitis will also be provided under the programme in certain select areas.

Shri Santosh Ajmera, Director- Regional Outreach Bureau (Maharashtra and Goa) & Officer on Special Duty, National Film Heritage Mission, Pune and Dr Dilip N. Patil, State Immunisation Officer, Maharashtra, jointly inaugurated the workshop. 

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Santosh Ajmera said, “Private registered song & drama troupes play an important role in creating awareness about Government initiatives and reaching out to the last mile”. He further said, the Government’s aim to reach 90% of immunization cover in an intensified way could be achieved through awareness building, which will help in expanding immunization cover to hitherto uncovered areas and resistant families. It is important that the correct and timely information reaches to the people, he added. He also stated, Indradhanush 2.0 would enable immunization and disease free India, thereby making our future generation safe and colourful.

“Just as we give our baby a birthday gift every year, vaccinate the baby on time and give him a gift of a healthy and disease free life," said Dr. Dilip N. Patil.

Mission Indradhanush seeks to achieve 90 percent immunisation coverage in India by 2020. The Government is planning to increase the vaccine cover to 2 more vaccines, including vaccines for Improved Polio and Japanese brain fever as well as Rotavirus vaccine and Govar-rubella vaccine.

Shri Nikhil Deshmukh, Assistant Director, FOB Aurangabad;  Shri Santosh Deshmukh, Manager, FOB, Aurangabad;  Dr Kailas Bawiskar, Deputy Director (IEC); Shri Sunil Nile,Health Education Officer and artists /members of all the registered Song and Drama cultural troupes were present on the occasion.

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DJM/SC/DL/PM

 

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