Page 11 - NIS English 16-31,March 2023
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the goal is to have it completed by 2023.
The pneumococcal vaccine was also
included in the national programme
in 2017 to prevent pneumococcal
pneumonia. Because of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's effective leadership
and guidance, the vaccination rates in
the country increased from 62 percent
in the National Family Health Survey-4
(2015-16) to 76.6 percent in the National
Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21).
All of this was only possible because,
under Prime Minister Modi's leadership,
there was a historic increase in the
number of cold chain points, as well
as safe access to the vaccine across
the country. The Electronic Vaccine
Intelligence Network (e-Vein) was
introduced and widely used to reduce
vaccine waste and make vaccines
available ahead of time to centres where
they were not previously available.
Earlier in our country, it used to take several 29,000 cold chain points, 52,000 ice lined
decades for the vaccine to reach far-flung refrigerators and 46,000 deep freezers
areas. The country was far behind in terms of are being used in the country for vaccine
vaccination coverage. Crores of children in the store and distribution.
Following 2014, a technically such a
country, especially those living in villages and broad and strong network was prepared
tribal belts, had to wait for years for the vaccine. for the country's vaccination campaign
If we had worked with the old approach, it would that, during the COVID epidemic, the
have taken several more decades to make India reach of the COVID vaccine was ensured
100% vaccinated. We began working with a new to the person sitting at the end without
approach, launched Mission Indradhanush, and wasting time. Whether crossing a river,
improved the country's vaccination system. climbing mountains, going to flood-
When the global Corona epidemic struck, the affected areas, reaching the desert
benefit of this new system was discovered in of Rajasthan, delivering vaccine or
vaccinators to difficult areas by drone
spreading the vaccine far and wide. or helicopter, or through a door-to-door
- Narendra Modi, Prime Minister campaign to reach the last person,
India has been practising these eight
years. As a result, India became the
world's most vaccinated country in
record time. The infrastructure built for
health, particularly vaccination, during
the Mission Indradhanush campaign
has been extremely beneficial during
the pandemic.
New India Samachar March 16-31, 2023 9
