Gandaki CM launches vaccination campaign

Gandaki Chief Minister Krishnachandra Nepali Pokhrel announced the launch of a vaccination campaign in all 11 districts of the state by handing over the vaccine carrier to health workers at the launch program organized by the Ministry of Health and Population of the state government at Amar Singh Higher Secondary School, Pokhara.

A one-time immunization program for children under the age of 15 months to 15 years is being conducted across the country as part of the campaign against the typhoid disease which is a public health problem. Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Shri Ram Tiwari, said that 560,000 children of Gandaki will be vaccinated in the campaign. According to him, the students of Amar Singh Secondary School will be vaccinated on the opening day today and the vaccination program will be conducted in all the schools of the state from tomorrow.

He said, "We have already delivered vaccines, vaccinators and necessary manpower to the designated vaccination centers in all the 11 districts of the state." Vaccination will start from tomorrow at all district vaccination centers. Dr. Tiwari said that the school has been designated as a vaccination center for the convenience of the children as a large part of the age group to be vaccinated is in the school and arrangements have been made for those who do not go to school to be vaccinated at the ward office.

Chief Minister Pokharel expressed confidence that the campaign would be a complete success by vaccinating the targeted groups within the stipulated time. He stressed on the need to play the role of a welfare state to make the federal democratic republic a complete success. He said that the federal democratic republic would be fully successful if the government could play the role of a welfare state.

He also thanked the Ministry of Health for bringing popular programs including free blood donation in a short time.

Minister of Health Madhu Adhikari expressed the commitment of the ministry to provide all necessary assistance for the complete vaccination in the state.

The vaccine against typhoid is given in five doses per vial, in the form of a colorless preparation solution and one person is given 0.5 milliliters, according to the health workers. The effectiveness of typhoid vaccine is said to be 96.95 percent. It is said that when the vaccine is given, there is redness, itching, general fever and other problems.

According to the World Health Organization, typhoid infects 20 million people worldwide each year. Of them, about 161,000 lose their lives. In Nepal, typhoid is transmitted at the rate of 1,062 per 100,000 people and children under the age of 15 are transmitted at the rate of 10,960 per 100,000.

Although typhoid can occur in all age groups, children under the age of 15 are believed to be 11 times more likely to be infected than other age groups and there is a significant reduction in the number of infections transmitted once the vaccine is introduced.