UNICEF campaigns for mass immunisation, aims to save more than 400,000 babies every year in India

Tuesday May 19, 2015 , 3 min Read

UNICEF recently launched a campaign that champions the cause of Mission Indradhanush by imploring responsible parents to follow through with full immunisation of their children.

With these compelling motivational snippets from the lives of dedicated immunisation exponents, UNICEF hopes to put accent on Mission Indradhanush by the Government of India, by virtue of impacting and inspiring the masses to jump on the immunisation bandwagon sooner than later. The mission aims to immunise all children against seven vaccine preventable diseases by 2020 by building a large Routine Immunisation movement for our present and future generations.

To continue the ongoing communication efforts that could save more than 400,000 babies every year in India, UNICEF has initiated the ‘Ek Star Aisa Bhi’ series. The series will consist of 4 inspirational videos that aim to celebrate the role of frontline workers and other change makers who are the cornerstones of India’s immunisation programme, that happens to be the largest in the world.

The very first video, which aired on 10th April, 2015, features the fascinating story of Pooranchandra, the dedicated auto driver, who is one of the many drivers registered under the Government’s Alternate Vaccine Delivery System (AVDS) in Odisha. Every morning, at the crack of dawn Pooran makes a trip to the health centre where he loads his auto with vaccines and other supplies, before setting off on an ‘Immunisation Mission’ in his Teekakaran Express.

The AVDS is an innovative programme intervention that makes use of community based organisations and civil society members like Pooranchandra, in order to establish a robust system of vaccine delivery, especially to increase immunisation coverage in areas that are conventionally considered as ‘difficult to reach’.

The second video highlights the exceptional contribution of India’s frontline health workers- the ASHAs who traverse through difficult terrains so that full-immunisation becomes accessible to one and all, including children living in remote areas. One such devoted ASHA volunteer is Asrita from Jharkhand. Apart from being a critical link in the country’s health delivery system, she plays an integral role in changing the mindset of the skeptics by communicating the message of science and dispelling the various myths and misconceptions that prevent parents from giving their children the best start in life.

She is supported in her earnest efforts by many community based workers such as ANMs and Panchayat leaders who also committedly work in conjunction to ensure each and every child in the village receives life-enhancing vaccines for a healthier and brighter future.