With which of the following the "Indradhanush Scheme" is associated with?

HPSSC Staff Nurse - 2021

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: HPSSC Staff Nurse - 2021

Explanation

Mission Indradhanush is a targeted health mission of the Government of India launched in 2014.
Its primary and sole purpose is to ensure that all children under the age of two and all pregnant women are fully immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases.
The program focuses on strengthening the existing Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) by identifying and vaccinating individuals in low-coverage areas.
The name 'Indradhanush' (rainbow) was initially chosen to represent the seven diseases the program targeted for vaccination.

Option A: Sanitation is not the focus of Mission Indradhanush. National sanitation goals are addressed by the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Option C: The Mid-day meal programme is a school-based nutrition scheme to combat hunger and boost school enrollment, not an immunization initiative.
Option D: This option is incorrect because Mission Indradhanush is exclusively associated with immunization, not with sanitation or the mid-day meal program.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain National Health Programs in India as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses are the backbone of Mission Indradhanush. They are responsible for identifying and tracking beneficiaries, administering vaccines, maintaining the cold chain, managing AEFIs (Adverse Events Following Immunization), and educating communities.
By achieving high immunization coverage, this mission directly contributes to reducing India's Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) by preventing deadly childhood diseases and tetanus in mothers and newborns.
What if? - If a child has missed their scheduled vaccines, a nurse should not restart the entire schedule. Instead, they should pick up from where the schedule was left off, following the 'catch-up' immunization guidelines under the UIP.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question, which is the 'Indradhanush Scheme'.
This is a factual recall question based on knowledge of major national health programs in India.
Recall or deduce the meaning of 'Indradhanush' (rainbow) in this context. It metaphorically represents the spectrum of diseases that vaccines protect against.
Evaluate each option against this understanding.
Eliminate 'Sanitation' as it is linked to the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Eliminate 'Mid day meal programme' as it is a nutrition scheme for school children.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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