MR vaccination drive: Health Dept fails to achieve target

Sumeer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 23

Mired by rumours and subsequent apprehensions among parents, the Health Department has failed to achieve its target under the measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in the district.

As per the information procured from the district Health Department, of the total 4.14 lakh children, a total of 3.50 lakh kids have been vaccinated for measles and rubella. The seven-week-long MR vaccination campaign culminated on Friday.

The campaign faced a jolt when 13 children were admitted to the Civil Hospital on the same day after getting vaccinated. Thereafter, parents were quite apprehensive to get their children vaccinated.

Health officials conducted awareness drives to dispel fear among parents. School managements in the district also conducted meetings with parents and asked them to sign “consent letters” to get their children vaccinated at their own risk.

A senior official associated with the MR vaccination campaign, who did not wish to be named, said considering the events in the beginning of the campaign, the Health Department had managed to cover a lot of ground by vaccinating more than 3.5 lakh children. Besides rumours, summer vacations also affected the pace of the campaign. “After initial hiccups, the awareness drives in villages and urban areas infused confidence into parents,” said the official.

Moreover, in its bid to achieve the target, the department had also roped in private clinics and hospitals in the city to achieve the target.

Apprehension over drive 

• The campaign faced a jolt when 13 children were admitted to the Civil Hospital on the same day after getting vaccinated. 
• Thereafter, parents were quite apprehensive to get their children vaccinated. 
• Health officials conducted awareness drives to dispel fear among parents. School managements in the district also conducted meetings with parents and asked them to sign ‘consent letters’ to get their children vaccinated at their own risk.