British Medical Journal’s December special issue will feature Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s flagship vaccination scheme, Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI), as part of the 12 best practices from around the world, as reported by Financial Express (FE).

The BMJ (British Medical Journal), is one of the oldest medical journals in the world, in publication since 1840. It was ranked fourth regarding overall influence among general medical journals, by 2018 Journal Citation Reports.

The special issue of the BMJ has been brought in reference to the fourth Partners’ Forum conference on infant and maternal health. PM Modi, who will deliver the keynote address, is also its patron. The conference which will be held in New Delhi on December 12-13.

"The focus of this conference is on cross-sectoral partnerships towards maternal and child health. IMI is a perfect example of that — this time we have written to 11 ministries to ensure no child is left out. We will showcase IMI during the conference, but there is also the marketplace that we are setting up in the Vigyan Bhawan lawns where states will showcase their best practices," Preeti Sudan, the health secretary, told The Indian Express.

With a state objective of “Let no child suffer from any vaccine-preventable disease,” PM Modi launched the IMI in 2017. Under this mission, the government aims to immunise 90 per cent of children under two years of age and all those pregnant women who have not been covered under the routine immunisation programme. The govt has also advanced the date for achieving this by December 2018. Earlier the target was set at December 2020.

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