Question : Mission Indradhanush

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the salient features of Mission Indradhanush including funds sanctioned, allocated and utilized under this mission within Assam during the last three years and the current year;

(b) the details of the target set and achievements made so far along with the response of the people thereto;

(c) whether the Government has any plan to add COVID-19 vaccine after its approval for children under the mission to protect them from its third wave in the country; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be included?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(DR.BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) Mission Indradhanush (MI) is a drive to intensify immunization in pockets of low immunization coverage and hard to reach areas where the proportion of unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children is highest.

Funds allocated under Routine Immunization are utilized for carrying out activities under Mission Indradhanush. The funds released under Routine Immunization for activities under routine immunization and Pulse polio for State of Assam is as under:-
Funds Released (in Rs. Crore) 18-19 19-20 20-21
33.36 35.71 50.76

The progress in Full Immunization Coverage (FIC) as reported by Assam in Health Management Information System (HMIS) is as under:

Vaccination coverage 18-19 19-20 20-21
FIC (%) 84.26 85.80 84.50

(b) Mission Indradhanush targets pockets of low immunization coverage and hard to reach areas where the proportion of unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children is highest.

Under the various phases of Mission Indradhanush, 3.86 crore children and 96.8 lakh pregnant women have been vaccinated so far, across the country.

Continuous efforts to strengthen routine immunization with interventions like robust microplanning, regular reviews, effective inter personal communication, community engagement and social mobilization involving various stakeholders are undertaken, as part of the immunization coverage improvement strategy.

(c) & (d) The COVID-19 vaccination is guided by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) on the basis of concurrent scientific evidence. Presently, the COVID-19 vaccines being used under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Drive in the country have been granted permission for use in adults only, i.e. persons aged 18 years and above.