This story is from April 20, 2015

Bihar government plans own version of Indradhanush

On the lines of Centre's special immunization drive, Mission Indradhanush, Bihar government is all set to become the first state in India to launch its own such a drive, known as Mukhyamantri Saghan Tikakaran Abhiyan (MSTA), on May 26.
Bihar government plans own version of Indradhanush
PATNA: On the lines of Centre's special immunization drive, Mission Indradhanush, Bihar government is all set to become the first state in India to launch its own such a drive, known as Mukhyamantri Saghan Tikakaran Abhiyan (MSTA), on May 26. At present, the central scheme is being executed in 14 districts of the state. The state scheme will cover the remaining 24 districts.

West Champaran, East Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Begusarai, Saharsa, Araria, Kishanganj, Patna, Jamui, Gaya and Sheohar have already been covered under MI. The rest will be covered under MSTA.
This four-month drive, like MI, will cater to the dropout kids who remained unvaccinated or were left partially vaccinated in the routine immunization drive that takes place on Wednesday and Friday every week. In Bihar, there are about nine lakh such children who are termed as dropouts. This drive is significant because of high under-5 mortality rate in the state (U5MR). As per latest sample registration survey (SRS), 54 children under the age of five die per 1,000 live births every year in the state. As many as 28 lakh births take place in Bihar every year resulting in death of over 1.51 lakh children annually mainly due to preventable diseases that RI vaccines tend to cater.
Apart from normal RI schedule, additional 9,800 sessions will be undertaken under MSTA in 24 districts depending on the need and the number of dropouts. The highest number of sessions will be organized in Siwan (1,019) followed by Saran (665), Vaishali (531), Gopalganj (580), Madhubani (593). Like MI, this drive will also take place at village level. MI had aimed at undertaking additional 8,400 sessions.
Vaccines administered in this drive will be Pentavalent vaccine (combination of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis-B and Hemophilus influenza-B vaccines) and polio. Vaccines for Japanese Encephalitis (JE) will also be given in a few districts.
According to health department sources, the state will spend Rs 4 crore for giving incentives to ASHAs and aanganwadi workers for mobilization. Like all the immunization programmes, vaccines will be given by the Centre. Unicef and WHO are also supporting the programme in terms of monitoring and providing technical support.
A timeline has been drawn for implementation of the drive. Special block-level training for vaccinators and mobilizers (ASHAs and aanganwadi workers, who will motivate the parents to bring kids for the drive) will take place in second week of May. In a Union government's survey, it came to light that out of 13 factors that led to such high dropouts, the highest contributory factor was ignorance of people and the fact that they simply didn't feel the need of immunizing their wards. Hence, with every immunization drive now, information and education material is distributed, which will be done under MSTA also. By mid-May, the supply of awareness material and logistics will be completed.
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