Enumerate the features of Mission Indradhanush and challenges in progressing towards full immunization coverage. Suggest remedial measures to address these challenges.

Mission Indradhanush was launched by the Ministry of health in 2015 to attain full immunization of children and pregnant and lactating women.

Features of Mission Indradhanush:

• Greater role of ASHA and midwives in delivering vaccines.
• To search out for mothers and children who are left from immunisation.
• For the first two years, the mission increased the immunisation rate to around 7%.
• Complete set of vaccines are being provided free of cost at government hospitals.
• Use of ICT technologies for monitoring.

Challenges:

• Lack of hospitals and nursing staff in rural areas.
• Lack of awareness among the people about immunisation.
• Problems of home birth and thus those births are not registered.
• Lack of stock of medicines, delay in delivery of medicines to designated clinics.
• Financial crunch and subsidy burden on the ministry.
• Corruption and leakages are some of the other issues.
• Covers only a limited number of diseases.

Measures:

• More comprehensive list of diseases can be covered under Mission Indradhanush.
• Greater financial outlay and necessary administrative powers to make the mission more effective.
• Emulating the success of the polio campaign in Mission Indradhanush as well.
• Use of ICT technologies for monitoring to prevent leakages and corruption.
• Finally promoted research and development in the country to invent cheaper alternatives to the existing vaccines.

The government has launched intensified Mission Indradhanush to make the mission even more effective and realise the goal of full immunisation coverage.