Explained | India’s plan to eradicate measles, rubella
The story so far: As the new year dawned, so did a crucial target for India. Dr. Jacob John, noted virologist who heads the India Experts Advisory Group for eliminating MR, equates it to a phenomenon similar to COVID-19 infections catching up in China end of last year, since they had ‘escaped the previous waves of infection.’ “It is a similar phenomenon, because during the winter months of 2020 and 2021 there were no outbreaks,” he said. During 2010–2013, India conducted a phased measles catch-up immunisation for children aged 9 months–10 years in 14 States, vaccinating approximately 119 million children. During 2017–2021, India adopted a national strategic plan for measles and rubella elimination, and introduced rubella-containing vaccine into the routine immunisation programme, besides launching a nationwide measles-rubella supplementary immunisation activity catch-up campaign. But if we are able to keep up the tempo of immunisation at 95 % the second dose coverage, it will be possible.” But the trick, he pointed out, is to do it district by district — give each district a target to achieve the required rate of immunisation, conduct a robust fever and rash surveillance programme, besides testing for MR.
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