Chandigarh’s ‘Transgender Immunization Ambassadors’ Initiative Receives National Recognition

Chandigarh, October 16, 2026: The Health Department, U.T. Chandigarh, has received appreciation from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, for its “Transgender Immunization Ambassadors” initiative to promote immunization awareness in the community. The initiative has been featured as a “Best State Innovation” in the national immunization magazine, Immunization India Updates.

The initiative brings together the Immunization Department and members of the transgender community to spread awareness about vaccination among children and pregnant women. It builds on the traditional practice of transgender community members visiting households to offer blessings on occasions such as births and marriages. The Department recognised these visits as an opportunity to share important immunization messages with families.

The initiative began in June 2024 with meetings involving members of the transgender community and their gurus and leaders. This was followed by several training sessions and meetings to familiarise participants with various aspects of immunization and equip them to raise awareness during their household visits. The initiative has received appreciation from the public, the media and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Encouraged by this response, the Department has introduced an “Immunization Photo Frame” as an additional component of the campaign. Traditionally, families offer money, clothes or other gifts to transgender community members visiting their homes. Under this initiative, the ambassadors now also present families with a specially designed A4-sized photo frame as a gift from the Chandigarh Health Department.

The frame carries information about the National Immunization Programme and the Hello Vaxi Chatbot, through which parents and guardians can access vaccination-related information for children and pregnant women round the clock. It also provides space for a photograph of the child or the newly married couple.

A pocket on the back of the frame allows families to safely store the Mother and Child Protection (MCP) card or booklet, helping protect this important health record from loss, misplacement or damage.

The photo frames have been warmly received by families. The initiative has further strengthened the partnership between the Health Department and the transgender community while reinforcing public confidence in vaccination services available at government health facilities in U.T. Chandigarh. According to the Department, such community-based innovations have contributed to achieving 100 per cent immunization coverage in Chandigarh.

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Five-Day Training of 140 Civil Defence Volunteers Completed at MGSIPA

The five-day training programme on Disaster Preparedness and Response for Civil Defence Volunteers of Chandigarh Administration concluded at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA) on 16 October 2026. Approximately 140 volunteers received training across two batches.
The programme was organised by the Chandigarh Disaster Management Authority (CDMA), Chandigarh Administration, in collaboration with MGSIPA, Government of Punjab. The first batch underwent training from 5 to 9 October, followed by the second batch from 12 to 16 October 2026.
The training focused on strengthening volunteers’ knowledge, practical skills and confidence to support community preparedness and emergency response. Sessions covered disaster risk awareness, Civil Defence responsibilities, search and rescue, fire safety, first aid and life-saving skills, crowd management and emergency coordination. Classroom sessions, practical demonstrations, exercises and field exposure connected learning with practical application.
Shri Sanjeev Kohali from CDMA addressed the volunteers during the concluding session. Col. Atul Pandey, Lead, Disaster Management Centre, MGSIPA, delivered the closing remarks. Volunteers were encouraged to continue practising their skills, promote safety awareness within their communities and remain actively associated with their Civil Defence teams.
The training of second batch was coordinated by Shruti Agarwal, Consultant, Disaster Management Centre, MGSIPA.
The programme reflects the joint commitment of CDMA, Chandigarh Administration and MGSIPA to strengthening community preparedness through a trained and responsible volunteer network.