Rajasthan’s health department opened rubella catch-up camps in 12 districts after unified district information system for education attendance feeds showed a post-monsoon absence spike among students who missed measles-rubella doses during July floods. Teams began door-to-door screening on Thursday while schools remained closed for Gandhi Jayanti.
Why rubella now
State epidemiologists linked clusters in Jodhpur and Udaipur to pockets where routine immunisation sessions were cancelled when clinics doubled as relief shelters. Rubella poses elevated congenital risks for pregnant women, making adolescent catch-up a priority even though case counts remain modest.
Operations
Mobile vans stocked with cold-chain boxes departed from district hospitals at dawn, pairing ASHA workers with school principals who texted parents about camp timings. Officials set a target of 180,000 doses before Diwali shopping crowds complicate scheduling.
National picture
The drive complements ICMR’s separate H3N2 testing guidance circulating to private labs, another post-monsoon health task. Rajasthan said it will publish weekly coverage dashboards so panchayats can compare block-level performance.
Parent outreach
SMS blasts in Hindi and Marwari reminded families that catch-up shots are free and do not require prior appointment slips. Private schools in Jaipur volunteered auditoriums as vaccination halls when government primaries lacked fans after monsoon damage.
Supply chain
State cold-chain officers tracked vial wastage below 2% on the first day, a figure health minister briefings highlighted on Thursday evening. Backup stocks sit in district hospitals should festival travel drain frontline staff.
Measles pairing
Because rubella campaigns work best alongside measles coverage, teams co-administered MR vaccine where stock allowed, reducing clinic visits for pastoral communities that travel with livestock herds.
Parent outreach
SMS blasts in Hindi and Marwari reminded families that catch-up shots are free and do not require prior appointment slips. Private schools in Jaipur volunteered auditoriums as vaccination halls when government primaries lacked fans after monsoon damage.
Supply chain
State cold-chain officers tracked vial wastage below 2% on the first day, a figure health minister briefings highlighted on Thursday evening. Backup stocks sit in district hospitals should festival travel drain frontline staff.
Measles pairing
Because rubella campaigns work best alongside measles coverage, teams co-administered MR vaccine where stock allowed, reducing clinic visits for pastoral communities that travel with livestock herds.
District focus
Jalore and Barmer blocks received extra vans after nomadic schoolchildren missed two routine rounds; teachers recorded temporary addresses at cattle fairs so teams could return next week. District collectors will publish daily dose tallies on state health portals through Diwali.