Ukrainian lawmakers approve nationwide state of emergency
Kyiv (AP): Lawmakers in Ukraine have approved a nationwide state of emergency amid fears of an all-out Russian invasion.
The parliament approved Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decree that imposes the measure for 30 days starting Thursday.
The state of emergency allows authorities to impose restrictions on movement, block rallies and ban political parties and organisations in the interests of national security and public order.
The move follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's move Monday to recognise the independence of rebel regions in eastern Ukraine, where the nearly eight-year conflict has killed over 14,000.
Putin has sanctioned the deployment of Russian troops there to maintain peace and received a parliamentary approval to use military force outside the country.
Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly voiced concern that Russia could try destabilise the country by relying on Moscow supporters inside the country, including a pro-Russia political party represented in parliament.
The document also bans information materials that could destabilise the situation in the country, and gives government the right to impose curfews and conduct checks.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
