Greater Chennai Corporation to vaccinate kids, pregnant mothers

Chennai: Free vaccines will be provided to infants and pregnant mothers by the Greater Chennai Corporation under Mission Indradhanush 5.0 initiative of the Union government.

The vaccination will cover diseases such as tuberculosis, polio, jaundice, pneumonia, whooping cough, tetanus, Japanese encephalitis and measles

Chennai mayor R Priya, who held a review meeting on Saturday, said the first-dose vaccine drive will begin on August 7 and go on till August 12. “The second dose will start on September 11 and go on till 16, and the third dose from October 9 to October 14,” she said.

The corporation has begun identifying beneficiaries by conducting a door-to-door survey which started on July 18. The camps will be held in all government hospitals, urban primary health centres and anganwadis in the city from 9 am to 4 pm.

Kids of 0-2 age group and 2-5 age group who have missed out on these vaccines can participate in the drive. Pregnant mothers too would be administered necessary vaccines, the corporation said.

The mayor added that the corporation will provide vaccines for children of migrant workers at doorsteps as they may not be able to visit the UPCHs. Mission Indradhanush started in 2014 to reduce infant mortality. GCC has held eight camps under this mission. Residents can visit their nearest UPHCs to get the vaccines for free, said the GCC.