Press Release: Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Dr Harsh Vardhan reviews State preparedness of Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 before its roll out on 2nd Dec, 2019.

Posted On: 21 NOV 2019 11:48AM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan reviewed the preparedness within States for roll out of Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 in States from 2^nd December 2019, here today. He interacted with State Principal Secretaries and NHM Mission Directors and Immunization Officers of States. Health Ministers from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Odisha were also present during the Video Conference (VC) review conducted today.

Dr Harsh Vardhan emphasised the importance of immunisation of children and pregnant women as part of the IMI 2.0 and the high priority bring accorded by the Health Ministry for achieving Full Immunisation Coverage targets. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji, IMI was launched from Vadnagar in 2017 and immunization has been given a strong push in the Gram Swaraj Abhiyaan and Extended Gram Swaraj Abhiyaan too. The IMI 2.0 aims to achieve targets of full immunization coverage in 272 districts in 27 States and shall be implemented in the block level (652 blocks) in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, he added. "While we are required to achieve 90% immunisation coverage target, we should all aim to ensure that not even one child dies of vaccine preventable diseases. Especially when we have a basket of vaccines as part of our routine Universal Immunisation Program (UIP)", Dr Harsh Vardhan said. “With the launch of Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0, India has the opportunity to achieve further reductions in deaths among children under five years of age, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of ending preventable child deaths by 2030”, he added.

Addressing the State representatives in the VC, Union Health Minister added that we can take lessons from our immense experience of the polio campaign where in addition to wholehearted efforts from the states, various non-state partners and stakeholders had joined hands to achieve set targets. "Let us learn from the best practices of the States, their experience of earlier rounds of Mission Indradhnush (MI) and share this knowledge for achieving last mile goals during IMI 2.0 rounds.” he emphasised.

During the VC, States informed that they have completed the preparedness activities for roll out of IMI 2.0 from 2^nd December. Micro plans and due-lists are ready, and intense IEC activities have been implemented in the select 272 districts in 29 States where IMI 2.0 is to be rolled out.

In October 2017, the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi ji launched IMI, an ambitious plan to accelerate progress. It aimed to achieve 90% full immunization coverage with focus towards districts and urban areas with persistently low levels. IMI was built on MI, using additional strategies to reach populations at high risk, by involving sectors other than health. It was an effort to shift routine immunization into a Jan Andolan, or a “peoples’ movement”. Now the government is poised to launch Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 between December 2019 – March 2020 to deliver a program that is informed by the lessons learnt from the previous phases, and seeks to escalate efforts to achieve the goal of attaining a 90% national immunization coverage across India.

The program will be delivered in 272 districts of 27 states and 652 blocks of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar among hard-to-reach and tribal populations. Several ministries, including the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Youth Affairs, among others, will come together to make the mission a resounding success and support the central government in ensuring the benefits of vaccines reach the last mile.

The salient features of IMI 2.0 are:

Immunization activity will be in four rounds over 7 working days excluding the RI days, Sundays and holidays.
Enhanced immunization session with flexible timing, mobile session and mobilization by other departments.
Enhanced focus on left outs, dropouts, and resistant families and hard to reach areas.
Focus on urban, underserved population and tribal areas.
Inter-ministerial and inter-departmental coordination.
Enhance political, administrative and financial commitment, through advocacy.
Intensified Mission Indradhanush immunization drive, consisting of 4 rounds of immunization will be conducted in the selected districts and urban cities between Dec 2019 - March 2020.