Noida administration has launched a special ten-day measles-rubella (MMR) vaccination drive with an aim to cover students from Classes 1 to 5 across government and private schools in the district. UP state health department officials said the sessions are being conducted within school premises under the campaign to ensure wider coverage and ease of access for both students and parents.
The initiative is part of the state government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen immunity against measles and rubella – highly contagious viral diseases, primarily affecting children.
Under the Measles-Rubella elimination campaign, the Central government seeks to achieve 100 per cent immunization coverage to provide high-quality life to children by administering them with two doses of the vaccine. At present, India's MMR vaccination coverage stands at 93.7 per cent for the first dose and 92.2% for the second dose, as per 2024-25 Health Management Information System data.
“The objective is to ensure that no eligible child is left out. Children will be administered an additional dose of the MR vaccine during the campaign. The vaccine is safe and is being provided for free of cost,” Dr Narendra Kumar, Chief Medical Officer of Gautam Budh Nagar, told the mediapersons.
Both measles and rubella are preventable yet dangerous viral infections that primarily affect children.
Measles spreads rapidly through respiratory droplets and can cause high fever, cough, rash, and eye infections. In severe cases, it may lead to pneumonia, brain swelling or encephalitis, hearing loss, and even death.
Rubella, also known as German measles, is usually milder in children but can be devastating if contracted during pregnancy. It may cause congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), resulting in birth defects such as heart problems, deafness, blindness, and developmental delays in newborns.
Despite being vaccine-preventable, these infections still pose a threat in areas where immunisation coverage is incomplete.
Measles spreads rapidly through respiratory droplets and causes high fever and rashes
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases, capable of spreading quickly in schools and communities.
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