New Delhi: Being Aware of the increasing number of measles cases being reported from certain districts of Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala and Maharashtra, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Wednesday has framed a "Roadmap to Measles and Rubella Elimination by 2023.”
“lt is requested to kindly direct the concerned officials to initiate prompt action on preparedness and measles outbreak response activities. Adequate availability of vaccines across all blocks and districts may be ensured for the vaccination campaign,” the Health Ministry said in a letter dashed to these States.
It said that States and UTs may communicate the demand for additional vaccine requirements to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for conducting supplementary immunization activities.
“Your leadership and support in efficient outbreak management would go a long way in achieving Measles and Rubella Elimination by 2023,” the letter signed by P Ashok Babu, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry said.
The Health Ministry also registered a rapid rise in the number of cases and some mortality due to Measles has also been observed specifically in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and certain other districts of Maharashtra.
“This is of particular concern from a public health point of view. It is also clear that in all such geographies, the affected children were predominantly unvaccinated and the average coverage of MRCV among the eligible beneficiaries is also significantly below the national average,” the ministry said.
The development follows a meeting of Domain Knowledge Technical Experts that took place on Wednesday under the Chairpersonship of Member (Health), NlTl Aayog to review the situation. As per the WHO and UNICEF estimates the first dose coverage of Measles and Rubella Containing Vaccine (MRCV) is 89 per cent and that of second dose is 82 per cent in India.
Following Wednesday’s meeting it was suggested administering one additional dose (Special Dose for Measles and Rubella for Universal lmmunization Programme (UlP) reporting purposes of MRCV to all children of nine months to five years in vulnerable areas to be identified by the State Government and UT Administration in "Outbreak Response lmmunization" (ORl) mode. This dose would be in addition to the primary vaccination schedule of first dose at 9-12 months and second dose at 16-24 months.
It was also suggested for one dose of MRCV to be administered to all children aged six months and up to less than nine months in those areas where the measles cases in the age group of less than nine months are above 10 per cent of the total measles cases, to be identified by the State government and UT Administration.
“Since this dose of MRCV is being given to this cohort in "Outbreak Response lmmunization" (ORl) mode, therefore, these children should also be covered by first and second dose of MRCV as per the primary (routine) Measles and Rubella vaccination schedule,” the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has decided to depute three high-level multi-disciplinary three-member teams to Ranchi (Jharkhand), Ahmedabad (Gujarat) and Malappuram (Kerala) to take stock of the upsurge in cases of Measles. The teams will assist the State Health Authorities in instituting public health measures and facilitate operationalization of requisite control and containment measures.
