The government will launch a major 15-day media campaign from March 23 to educate the masses on immunisation, ahead of implementing its ambitious health programme - 'Mission Indradhanush' in April. Health Minister J P Nadda will hold deliberations with the lawmakers of those four states which has nearly 25 per cent of the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children in the country. 'Mission Indradhanush', depicting seven colours of the rainbow, aims to cover by 2020, all such children, who are either unvaccinated or are partially vaccinated against seven vaccine-preventable diseases including diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.

"We will launch a major media campaign on March 23 which will continue for 15 days. We have found that in 63 per cent of the cases, people do not know the benefits of immunisation. The multimedia campaign is aimed at bridging this communication gap," Rakesh Kumar, Joint secretary, Health Department told. "There will be television advertisements, jingles, posters and banners and the states will do their own Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities like workshops and dramas. It will be a multi-pronged approach for awareness generation," the source said.

By Premji