**Summary:**
In response to concerns about knowledge gaps regarding optional vaccines for children under five, particularly in Kheda district of Gujarat, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing a multi-faceted approach to enhance awareness and improve information dissemination. This strategy involves leveraging social media platforms (X, Instagram, Facebook), traditional media outlets like Doordarshan (using celebrities, radio jingles, and YouTube podcasts), and localized community-level activities such as public address systems, posters, and group meetings. Frontline health workers, including Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), are actively engaged in social mobilization and interpersonal communication (IPC) to reach mothers directly. Local healthcare workers are receiving regular training, with interpersonal communication skills being a core component of immunization training for health workers and ASHAs, ensuring they can provide accurate and comprehensive information on immunization. These efforts specifically target rural populations and economically weaker sections to ensure equitable access to information regarding optional vaccines.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The central government ministry responsible for health policy in India.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question was raised.
Optional Vaccines for Children: The subject of the question, referring to vaccines not mandated in the national immunization program.
Shri Devusinh Chauhan: The Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question.
Kheda district of Gujarat: A specific district in Gujarat, India, highlighted for addressing knowledge gaps about vaccines.
Smt. Anupriya Patel: The Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare who answered the question.
Auxiliary Nurse Midwives ANMs: Frontline health workers involved in awareness generation about vaccines.
Accredited Social Health Activists ASHAs: Community health workers involved in awareness generation about vaccines.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 1112
TO BE ANSWERED ON25THJULY2025
OPTIONALVACCINESFORCHILDREN
1112. SHRIDEVUSINHCHAUHAN:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleased tostate:
(a) the manner in which the Government isaddressing the knowledge gapsamong Mothers
regarding optional vaccines for children under five in the country especially, in the in
Kheda district of Gujarat;
(b) whether local healthcare workers are being trained to provide better information on
immunization andif so, the detailsthereof; and
(c) the steps being taken by the Government to ensure that information reaches rural and
economically weakersections effectively inthisregard?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SMT.ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a) & (c) The measures taken across the country by the Government, including Kheda district of
Gujarat to address knowledge gaps regarding vaccines are; awareness generation through social
media, mid-media, interpersonal communication (IPC) as well as social mobilization within
communitiesby frontline healthworkers such asAuxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Accredited
Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs). To ensure wide outreach,
IEC dissemination was carried out through service broadcasters such as Doordarshan using
media celebrities, radio jingles and youtube podcasts. Social media platforms such as X handle ,
Instagram handle and facebook page were used. Localized community-level activities such as
miking, posters and group meetings are also organized to ensure these messages reach rural
populationandeconomically weakersections.
(b) Yes, the local healthcare workers are regularly trained to provide better information on
immunization. Interpersonal Communication is one of the core component of immunization
trainingsfor healthworkers andASHAs.
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