All children immunised in Bengal, says CM as World Immunisation Week starts

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on the occasion of the first day of the World Immunisation Week on Wednesday, said that all the children in the state have been fully immunised.

Taking to Twitter, Banerjee said: "#WorldImmunisationWeek begins today. I am very proud to share with you all that 100% children in #Bangla are fully immunised. My best wishes to all."

It may be mentioned here that the Bengal government, under the leadership of the Chief Minister, has done a great deal of work in building better infrastructure so that mothers and children get the best quality treatment in state-run hospitals and health centres in the city as well as the districts.

Children in far-flung areas had often been suffering from malnutrition as there were no awareness programmes previously. Due to the relentless efforts initiated by the district administration, the people in the districts are now becoming aware about various factors.

Awareness is being spread among conservative pregnant women and lactating mothers in the districts, particularly in the rural areas, thanks to the initiatives of the state government that appears determined to bring down Bengal's rate of underweight children.

The district programme officers under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) are providing supplementary nutrition for pregnant and lactating women and for their children up to six years. The nutritional support is being given in order to counter calorie and protein related malnourishment.

The officials of the Health department in the districts are successfully making people understand the importance of breastfeeding newborns till they attain six months of age and the importance of the mother's first milk.

It may be mentioned here that the Bengal government has reduced the infant mortality rate to 25 against 1,000 live births and the maternal mortality rate to 101 against 1,00,000 live births. In the remote areas, 'delivery huts' have been set up so that expectant mothers can be provided treatment, care and other facilities completely free of costs, before being delivered to a nearby hospital.

Prodded by the Chief Minister, the state Health department has also set up mother child hubs at various state government hospitals in the state, which are dedicated for the treatment of mothers and their children.