Photo Courtesy: nenow
Kohima: Health officials in Mon district are scrambling to contain a measles outbreak in Tizit Block. Cases are now confirmed. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Supongmenla Walling and District Programme Manager Moie Bonnie Konyak met at the Community Health Centre on September 21 to finalize a response strategy.
The plan targets both schools and homes. Children between 5 and 10 will receive vaccines in school, while those under five will be reached through Anganwadi centres and home visits. The department officially stated that "the measles vaccination drive will commence by October 12, preceded by awareness activities."
Surveillance is ramping up. A World Health Organization team, including Surveillance Medical Officer Dr. M A Hazhar and regional lead Dr. Jayaseelan Vedamuthu, visited the area to assess the spread. They met with ADC Mon Pakon Phom to push for better coordination between health workers and village leaders.
Officials are tracking every unvaccinated child. Health units must now report any fever and rash symptoms immediately. Patients must stay home and avoid public spaces until cleared by a doctor. Authorities have directed schools to flag any student or staff member showing signs of illness to the nearest health facility.
Updated at 26th September 2026 at 2:00am
Leeyan Chemshy, the media coordinator for the National Health Mission in Mon, noted the team is currently scrubbing school enrollment data to ensure no child gets missed. Health workers arrived at the September 21 meeting armed with updated micro-plans and rosters of the unvaccinated to sharpen the logistics of the coming rollout.
The ADC has committed to pushing out awareness materials directly to village authorities. Officials also warned residents to keep infected individuals out of workplaces and off public transport until health authorities give the all-clear.
Updated at 26th September 2026 at 9:47am
State officials confirmed the outbreak follows laboratory-verified measles cases. The health department has moved to tighten the net, calling on parents, teachers, and village leaders to act as eyes on the ground and report any suspected cases of fever and rash immediately. Officials are pushing for full community cooperation to ensure no child is left off the rolls when the vaccination push begins.
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