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Wednesday, January 13, 2016

The state government is gearing up to strengthen the immunization supply chain in tribal districts to further reduce vaccine preventable infants’ deaths.

As a part of it, the state government would set up 12 high capacity cluster vaccine storage centres in the six tribal districts. They will work in tandem with the existing cold chain points operational in those areas.

“The aim of setting up the cluster vaccine storage centres is to enhance the immunization coverage in the state’s tribal interiors – remote and inaccessible. Being set up at the cost Rs 2.16 crore, the vaccine storage centres will help us conduct immunization drives smoothly and cover most infants. This, in turn, will further bring down the infant mortality rate in those areas,” said Archana Patil, the additional director of State Family Welfare Bureau.

Patil said, “Our health workers face a lot of challenges in the tribal areas during immunization drives. The population in these areas is scattered. The geographical conditions are such that they are difficult to access. Besides, there is frequent load-shedding. Hence, we need a system to store large quantity of vaccines at the required temperature without depending much upon electricity.”