Immunization Technical Support Unit
Putting Immunization on top priority list
India has made tremendous progress in delivering vaccination to target-age mothers and children, considerably regulating the spread of preventable diseases in the country. Even though a country with vast expanse of health infrastructure in dire need of revamp, Govt. made sure that the immunization program is carried out with precision through complete tracking and accountability. The monitoring mechanism makes sure that every child and mother is provided with the vaccination that is transported in temperature controlled conditions so that the efficacy of the dosage is not lost.
Govt and State machinery have sensitized the health workers on the ground to manage the vaccination program on a war footing but with the stated timelines of delivering to the promise of complete immunization by 2017. Not only that the govt. is investing in modernizing the health infrastructure in the country.
Immunization Technical Support Unit in collaboration with Melinda-Bill Gates foundation is working to deliver vaccination to the remotest corners of the country with the target of achieving a disease free India by 2017.
Properly managing surveillance on the ground, reaching the deserving candidates, hiring health professionals to carry the effort and maintaining the due-diligence process is what makes this effort a commendable one which will turn India into a case-study worth following for any developing nation looking to manage such a situation. This year the immunization has witnessed a jump of over 6% with people actively taking part in the drive after being educated about the benefits of vaccination. With govt at the helm and prime minister himself monitoring the progress, the effort has already pushed traction with statistics already showing marked improvements. The govt machinery and the efforts of health professionals are bearing fruit and will help India achieve its dream of a disease-free country real soon.
ITSU: Strengthening the health workforce
As the name states, the Immunization Technical Support Unit aims to achieve full immunization of children and mothers in India. ITSU came into picture with the efforts of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Public Health Foundation of India in 2012. This unit works in collaboration with organizations and research institutes to strengthen the health workforce in the nation.
Health care is said to be the right of every citizen and deserves basic health facilities as and when needed. For providing the same, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare initiates various health schemes and programs for women, children, senior citizen, etc. As the part of such initiatives, ITSU was developed with core purpose of:
- Designing strategies to enhance the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) of the Government of India.
- Strengthening Routine Immunization in the nation to give right of basic health amenities to one and all.
- Create effective vaccine delivery system by supporting the existing ventures and extend help in creating new ones to broaden the reach of the cause.
ITSU is based on a unique structure which works as a strong team. It can be understood as:
- A multi-disciplinary technical team of experts and advisors from various segments likemanagement, research, legal and communications.
- This unit works in collaboration with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the Department of Health and Family welfare to work towards its defined goals.
- It drives its learning’s from other initiatives to develop robust strategies.
ITSU acts as a catalyst in identifying and addressing the needs of growing health issues in the nation, in order to develop a workforce that works towards delivering real change in the health system.
Immunization Dashboard – ITSU
Contribution of Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) towards better health opportunities
The National Health Mission has been an important vehicle in uplifting the health condition across India, especially in the rural areas. It has made some phenomenal achievements through various schemes and plans launched under its domain.
One of the major health strengthening unit of the National Health Mission is its MMU or Mobile Medical Unit. In a country like India where the reach of public health care is very low and private health care exorbitantly expensive, the Mobile Medical Units of National Health Mission has ensured easy accessibility to health resources.
The MMUs usually have two or three vehicles which are equipped with medical facilities. While one vehicle is used for the transport of medical or paramedical personnel, the other vehicle is used for carrying across accessories and basic laboratory facilities. This vehicle usually consists of machines which allow doctors and medical practitioners to perform the required action if the need arises. The Diagnostic Equipments which are normally carried in the van are X-Ray and ultrasound machines, ECG machine, and generators.
These medical units have a scheduled routine as to where they will travel to. It thus visits various locations on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. The MMU is a very necessary program as it is helping to provide impartial medical facilities to every section of the society.
Making a Healthier India
The Indian economy’s greatest wealth is the people. With millions of people in the country, and the number always on the rise, it has become difficult for the central government to maintain proper healthcare services for the entire population. This is the reason why the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has formed the Immunization technical Support Unit or ITSU for immunizing the country; in collaboration with other partner organizations.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) devises various guidelines and programmes to fulfil the goal of immunizing the population. India holds the worldwide share of 21% of deaths and these are mostly because of diseases that can be prevented with vaccines. ITSU is a unit that focuses on not just improving the availability of medicine, but as well as enhancing the institutional capacity for effective strategic development of a society which is not only healthier, but also is well aware.
This is a holistic approach by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and a joint effort of the health workers, community head, politicians and parents, besides the government. This step taken by the ministry is not only helpful, but should be rather taken as an opportunity by the citizens of the country to learn better, know better and approach the services by the government better.
This is absolutely essential to build a healthier country, where no one dies of vaccine-preventable and easily curable diseases.
About ITSU:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). Under the guidance of this MoU, MoHFW and the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) collaboratively established an Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU) in collaboration with other partners. The core purpose of ITSU is to enhance institutional capacity for designing effective strategies for implementation of UIP by improving the access, reach, quality and coverage of the routine immunization program in India (with a focus on key states including Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh) and creating an efficient vaccine delivery system, for both existing and future vaccines.
Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU)
Under the guidance of this, MoHFW and the Public Health Foundation of India collaboratively established an Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU) in collaboration with other partners.
ITSU 