News And Events
Jaipur, October 24, 2016
Lok Samvad Sansthan, in partnership with UNICEF, has launched a unique drive to educate health-beat reporters and media professionals on routine immunization in the main districts and blocks of Rajasthan.
Under the partnership with UNICEF, Lok Samvad Sansthan – a media advocacy base NGO, will facilitate media engagement /orientation through demonstration and interactive workshops on routine immunization. The first such initiative was launched today in Jaipur, and subsequent workshops will be held during November and December in Jodhpur, Udaipur, Barmer and Jalore districts and their blocks. This initiative will build a core network of media reporting on routine immunization.
Dr Anil Agarwal, Health Specialist of UNICEF-Rajasthan, said this effort is committed to creating awareness among journalists so they can encourage and inform the public on important issues such as immunization and other developmental priorities”. He said that it would help improve the penetration of the routine immunization programme in the most remote areas through an effective network of informed journalists.
Mr Agarwal said that Immunization is a highly cost-effective way of preventing the diseases that kill the poorest children. He stated that the single biggest reason behind India’s low immunization coverage is that mothers do not feel the need to immunize their children, followed by a lack of knowledge about vaccines.
While sharing data for Rajasthan, he pointed out that immunization coverage in Rajasthan was at …… per cent as per …….. And one of the major challenges was the high drop-out rate.
Mr Agarwal pointed out. & Besides making people aware of the immunization schedule and benefits of the vaccination, media can also inform people about the cold chain and its role in effective immunization”
During the launch, Rakesh Goswami, Bureau Chief and Resident Editor-, The Hindustan Times, Jaipur, urged the journalists from print and electronic media present to focus on child deaths caused by the lack of vaccination. He suggested that completed immunization cards should be made compulsory for admission in schools for every child. Dr Hariram Meena, a senior-level administrative officer, highlighted the role of doctors and community leaders in the rural and tribal belts and the need for adequate infrastructure, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
The experts explained how the success stories of empowered rural and urban making a big difference in their own communities
During the workshop, media persons were exposed to several facets of Routine Immunization delivery. Participants will have the opportunity to visit walk-in freezer and cooler vaccine storage units and institutional routine immunization sessions in some areas and interact with young mothers and children at an outreach session being conducted by front-line workers.
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