Vadodara: The mega measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign for school children to eradicate measles and rubella will kick off in Vadodara city and district from Monday. In total, Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) and Vadodara district health officials are looking to vaccinate 8.25 lakh children in the district.VMC on Sunday also circulated videos on social media through which cricketer Irfan Pathan appealed citizens to ensure that children in the age group of nine months to 15 years are administered the vaccine. “We believe appeal from cricketer Irfan Pathan will help spread more awareness regarding the five-week-long campaign,” said VMC’s medical officer (health) Dr Mukesh Vaidya.Within the VMC limits, 4.25 lakh children will be vaccinated through 1,100 sessions that will be held in 650 schools, 1,400 outreach sessions and 1,000 fixed sessions at urban health centres, state-run SSG Hospital, GMERS Gotri Medical College and Jamnabai Hospital. “Daily 14,000 children will be vaccinated during the drive,” he said.According to Vadodara chief district health officer Dr Udaykumar Tilawat outside VMC limits, 4 lakh children will be administered the vaccine. The district health officials are targeting to cover 70 % of the total children by holding sessions in schools while the rest of the vaccination will be done through aanganwadis.Teams formed by the district health administration will 1,372 private primary and secondary schools apart from 1,528 (including 1,448 government and 80 private aanganwadis and schools).The state government is aiming 100 percent coverage of children by taking help of general people, NGOs and various government organisations for the drive. The nationwide campaign has been started to eradicate measles and rubella by 2020. The vaccination programme has already been completed in 20 states while the drive in Gujarat, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh is beginning from Monday.The state government has requested parents of those children who had taken measles vaccine in the past to participate in the vaccination drive.

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