Govt. expands vaccination programme Indradhanush

The government's ambitious Mission Indradhanush programme, which provides immunisation against seven life threatening diseases, is all set to be re-christened as four new vaccines have been added into it.

The programme depicting seven colours of the rainbow provides vaccination to seven vaccine preventable diseases which include diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and Hepatitis B.

Briefing reporters in New Delhi on Monday, Health Minister J P Nadda said, as four new vaccination has been added to the immunisation programme, its name will be changed. The new vaccines are rotavirus, measles rubella,



inactivated polio vaccine and Japanese Encephalitis for adults.

With this, now 11 vaccines have been covered under the programme. He said, in one year time, 1.62 crore children have been additionally brought under the ambit of immunisation and about 45 lakh have been totally immunized additionally.

Mission Indradhanush aims at covering all children by 2020 who are either un-vaccinated, or are partially vaccinated against these vaccine preventable diseases.

Mr Nadda said, his Ministry has been working aggressively in various sectors including public health, secondary healthcare and Non Communicable Diseases.