UNICEF Odisha trains communication officers & managers on IMI 5.0 in Balangir
Balangir: The district level orientation of block communication officers and managers for development of communication plan on the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI 5.0) was conducted on Wednesday.The one-day orientation session was organized by Zilla Swasthya Samiti, Balangir with support from UNICEF, Odisha and was attended by 40 communication officers from different blocks of the district.The objective of IMI 5.0 drive is to identify and register all the children under the age of five years and pregnant women who missed their vaccine doses. The orientation session aimed to develop a communication plan which will address the gap in immunization coverage in the district.Dr. Kuber Chandra Mohanta, CDM & PHO, Dr. Sudha Barla, ADPHO, Dr. Sugata Roy, SBC Specialist, Dr. Anil Patnaik, SVLM and Mr. Chakradhar Sahu, C4D Consultant were present during the inaugural session.
“Changing behaviour is complex, and therefore, a systematic communication plan is required to understand factors influencing vaccine resistance. An apt communication plan with renewed communication objectives identifying and analysing the barriers in immunization will aid in the uptake of vaccination,” said Dr Sugata Roy, Social & Behaviour Change Specialist.The IMI 5.0 drive intends to vaccinate 1, 04,261 unvaccinated or partly vaccinated children and 19, 896 pregnant women in 314 blocks in 30 districts.According to the NFHS 5 report (2019-21), Odisha has the highest immunization coverage in the country. The full immunization coverage in Odisha has increased from 36.1% (NFHS 1 report, 1992-93) to 90.5% (NFHS 5 Report, 2019-21). Immunization has greatly reduced vaccine-preventable disease and under-5 mortality in the state. According to SRS, IMR has dropped 49 points and Under-5 mortality has dropped 50 points since 2008.The orientation session with communication officers will be followed by another session with folk artists on Thursday who will share the messages on IMI 5.0 through their performances.
