Shimla Dec 23
HP registers the highest full immunization coverage in the whole country as per NFHS-5. The Government of India conducts periodic survey known as National Family Health Survey (NFHS) for seeking the coverage data and performance of each state and UT in respect of population, health and nutrition. The Government of India recently released report of NFHS-5 which was conducted in year 2019-20. The previous survey i.e. NFHS-4 was conducted in 2015-16.
As per the report, Himachal Pradesh rounded the highest full immunization coverage i.e. 89.3% amongst the States and has registered an enormous improvement of 20% from the last survey. This was stated by Mission Director, NHM, Dr. Nipun Jindal, here today. He further added that the full immunization coverage is conducted based on the number of children aged 12-23 months who have been administered the complete set of vaccines as per the universal immunization programme.
This enormous improvement has been possible because of adoption of technological intervention for planning and actual implementation on the field including generation of due lists, etc. This has been backed by increased awareness and diligent functioning and supervision by the field level officers. He further stated that this increase in immunization has led to substantial decrease in the Under 5 Mortality Rate and the Infant Mortality Rate which have come down to 23 and 19 respectively as per the SRS 2018 data.
This progress in immunization shall further consolidate the gains made in reduction of U5MR and IMR. He further informed that as per communication received from GoI yesterday, Himachal Pradesh has been removed from the list of states, where Mission Indradhanush based on the gaps identified in immunization is required to be carried out. He further informed that as many as 29 states and UTs have figured on the list and Himachal Pradesh is amongst the only 4 states in which no gap has emerged in immunization due to ongoing COVID pandemic in any of the districts.
Last year, district Chamba had been identified as mission indradhanush district due to gaps in drop-outs and miss-outs for immunization, however, the State Health Department and the district administration of Chamba responded in befitting manner and registered more than 100% progress.
The MD further recorded that the state has improved on most of the counts in NFHS-5as far as health indicators are concerned, for instance – total unmet need for family planning is reduced around 15.7% to 7.9% and institutional births have improved from 76.4% in the last round of survey to 88.2% in the year 2019-20. He further added that the State Health Department has undertaken holistic measures to ensure that the services delivery for the non-COVID health services is minimally affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic as far as National Health Programmes are concerned and the state shall continue to consolidate the gains due to these interventions in the coming years.
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